Cover Me
by geminisonic
Summary: After a devastating crime against Uraraka and her co-workers, hot headed Detective Bakugo is ordered to protect her at all costs. As both fall in love, he is determined to do just that until he and his team can uncover the truth behind the crimes. Police AU, no quirks. Kacchako ship. Rated M for violence, sexuality, and language.
1. Blood on the Wall

Chapter 1: Blood on the Wall

***Trigger Warning: Violence and Language

Uraraka Ochako couldn't remember a time she'd felt so frazzled. She huffed as she rushed with mounds of paperwork to the meeting room where the big conference was taking place. It was finally her time to shine and she was not going to be late. She'd spent weeks and weeks preparing for this big project, hoping to finally show the higher ups that she was meant to be a unit leader. If she got this promotion, it could lead to great changes in her life and she could finally support her parents. Her heart softened thinking about them, remembering how supportive they were as she grew up. They never had much but they made up for it in big dreams and loving hearts.

She was relieved to see she was at least ten minutes early and began preparing the room for the presentation. Some of the biggest names of the company would be present and she was determined to make herself noticed today. She'd been at the company for nearly two years and now was the time to move up. A position had just opened for a unit leader a month ago and they had told the staff that whoever showed the most initiative by the time the month ended would get the position. Everyone was working harder than ever, but none more so than Ochako.

She glanced up at the clock as she prepared the projector and was relieved to see that she still had five minutes left so she could go and greet the guests.

She was just about ready to stand by the door when she heard it; a loud resounding crash. Her heart stopped and she rushed out the door to be greeted by smoke and debris. She coughed and tried to feel her way towards an emergency exit, but it was hard to see and as the alarm blared loudly in her ears, she couldn't figure out what was happening around her. Her head was spinning as she coughed, covering her ears from the incessant buzzing sound.

Something grabbed her arm and she wondered if it was a coworker. She glanced up only to scream in horror as a tall, masked figure gripped her arm tightly and drug her back to the conference room. She was shoved inside and managed to catch a closer look at the figure who'd grabbed her. He was indeed tall, and it wasn't a costume mask he was wearing, but a gas mask. He was hooded in black and his hands were clammy and pale. She noticed suddenly that he was carrying a gun and it was pointed right at her.

"Move over to that wall!" it ordered in a hoarse voice.

She didn't hesitate and quickly crawled over to where he pointed.

Just then, more people entered, masked and hooded figures clutching one or two of her coworkers. They all ordered everyone to sit against the wall where she was.

"Hands on your head now!" A female voice roared at them as she poked her gun in their direction.

Everyone complied, giving each other nervous glances.

She managed to make out at least five hooded assailants and seven of her co-workers before one of the gunmen lowered the blinds and darkened the room. Two of the gunmen were locking the door and using the table to cover the windows. She began shaking when she realized that this was not just some robbers or petty criminals, these were professionals who were serious about what they were doing. The way they were organized enough to distract the whole building, grab who they could, keep them hostage, and now begin their operation was proof enough to her that she and her coworkers were in serious trouble.

She heard a sniffle next to her and recognized it as one of her friends who sat a few desks down from her. She carefully reached over to find her head and pat it, hoping it would calm her down.

"Hands on your head!" The female yelled again, advancing on her.

She must have some very good night vision because Ochako couldn't see a thing. But not for long as one of them turned on a lantern that lit the room up with a dim light that spooked her.

"Nobody panic." The one who had grabbed her said, coming forward. He was tall and lanky and his voice, though hoarse, had an eerie calmness to it that sent a chill down her spine, "If all goes well, this won't take very long."

A couple of her coworkers were audibly crying by now and she was shocked to realize that tears were falling down her face as well.

He suddenly surprised them by removing his hood to expose grey matted hair underneath, but what shocked her the most was when he removed his gas mask that revealed a pale jaunted face with bloodshot eyes and chapped thin lips. He was terrifying to say the least.

The others with him followed suit. The female was wearing her bright blonde hair up in two messy knots. Her face was pointed, and her eyes showed a hint of madness to them. Another one had dark hair and a nasty scar below his face. His eyes were cold and calculating.

She watched as the rest of them uncovered their faces and something inside of her grew more fearful when she realized the severity of what they were doing. It had been a long time ago, but she had read a crime drama one day out of boredom and something that stood out to her was that when criminals expose their faces, especially experienced ones, that meant only one thing; no one was leaving alive.

Tears continued to drip down her face as the obvious leader of the group walked back and forth, eyeing each of them up and down before stopping in front of someone two people down from her. He smiled menacingly at him and pointed, "Let's get started."

…..

"Bakugo!"

"What?" Bakugo yelled back from his desk. He'd been busy finishing his last report and now the captain just had to come and bother him about something. He ran a hand through his messy blonde hair to get rid of the ever growing headache as he watched his team captain, Tenya Iida, storm towards him, sharply dressed as always and glasses glinting where the light hit them.

Captain Iida rolled his eyes and handed Bakugo a paper, "What's this about getting rough with one of the suspects in the UA case?"

Bakugo had to think for a second then smiled, "Oh yeah, asshole was giving Kirishima the run around, so I set him straight. Idiot practically cried his confession. Great day!" he laughed.

Iida sighed exasperatedly, "That is the third time this month you've roughed up a suspect in an investigation. We could have a serious lawsuit on our hands."

"Hey, the creep was a wanted rapist, if you ask me, one less of those on a school campus is good enough for me." Bakugo shrugged.

"This is serious, Bakugo, you could get suspended from the force, we could all be in jeopardy because of this, you can't let your temper get the best of you." Iida tried reasoning.

"Look, I do my job and I do it well." Bakugo argued, "Try firing me and see how many criminals you can catch by yourself without me."

Iida realized he was getting nowhere and he usually never could when it came to Bakugo Katsuki. The captain sighed in frustration, wondering why he still kept Bakugo on his team of detectives. However, Bakugo did have one point and it was that he did do his job. He was a hot head and a complete blaggard at times but he was smart, probably one of the smartest of his four detectives. By now they all knew their strengths and weaknesses but he couldn't keep voucing for him for long and he had to realize that.

But before he could even continue his argument, another of his detectives, Midorya Izuku, burst in, his green shaggy hair becoming sweaty from his rushing, "Captain!" he yelled, practically panting.

"What is it Midorya?" Iida asked.

"Hostage situation down at the Publisher's Capital building." He said in a rushed voice, "Todoroki and Kirishima are already headed down."

"Let's go." Iida ordered to both Midorya and Bakugo who immediately grabbed their jackets and took off behind him.

"Shotgun!" Bakugo yelled, shoving Midorya aside to get beside the captain in his police SUV. They turned the sirens on, and Iida immediately called Todoroki to find out more about the situation. Bakugo and Midorya listened intently.

"It looks like eight hostages were taken and trapped in some conference room on the ninth floor." Todoroki said over the loudspeaker, his usually calm and bored voice taking on an edge, "Someone mentioned seeing at least four gunmen. They set off a bomb at about forty-five minutes ago and grabbed a bunch of people."

"Is it money they're after?" Midorya asked, his brow furrowed over his green eyes in concentration.

"We're not sure, no ransom or call for money has been made. It's just…odd." Todoroki admitted, for once sounding a tad apprehensive.

Iida looked quickly at both Bakugo and Midorya nervously and then became more focused, "We should be there in a few minutes, be prepared for anything."

"Yes Captain!" Todoroki agreed before hanging up.

"Sounds like a pretty bad situation for those people." Midorya commented.

"Hope I get to shoot someone." Bakugo admitted, "I'm having a shitty day."

"Kaachan!" Midorya hissed in annoyance. He was usually able to handle his childhood friend's ego at times but when he needed to, he wasn't afraid to put him in his place, much to Bakugo's annoyance.

"Shooting won't solve anything." Iida commanded, "We are going to need information and we need those hostages alive, so the cooler we keep our heads the better."

Bakugo shrugged in annoyance but narrowed his crimson eyes with focus. No bad guys ever got away from him, ever and he would love to see this crew try it now.

…

Todoroki glanced nervously at Kirishima as they looked up at the building. It was chaos on the street with roads blocked, SWAT units everywhere, news reporters clamoring to interview police and civilians and all the while, eight poor souls were trapped in a mysterious situation that even he couldn't explain.

He considered himself calm most of the time, but for some reason, this sent a chill up his spine. He'd been involved in a lot of hostage negotiations. There was always some reason and usually, no one was killed or harmed to the point of no return. But to not be able to know what was happening, it made him uneasy.

He wiped a few sweaty strands of red and white hair from his eyes, showing his red burn scar on the left side of his face a little more clearly, his blue iris practically glowing with intensity as it contrasted the red on his face and hair. Kirishima tightened his bullet proof vest and adjusted the ear piece by his spiky red hair and gave the police behind him a determined look before admitting to Todoroki, "I don't like this at all, man."

"Neither do I." Todoroki admitted back, feeling a knot in his stomach.

"Todoroki!"

He turned to see Midorya, Bakugo, and the captain all headed towards them, putting on bullet proof vests and adjusting their guns.

"Any news?" Iida asked as he finished putting in an ear piece.

Both Todoroki and Kirishima shook their heads, looking grim.

"Does anyone have any clue what's happening?" Midorya asked as he looked up towards the building where smoke and debris were falling from the eighth story windows.

"All we know is, eight people are trapped up there with gunmen, four or five I think." Kirishima said with a slight shake in his voice as he pointed.

Iida then turned to his team as they huddled, trying to come up with a plan when they heard someone in the street scream, "Oh my God, look!"

Everyone looked up and they watched in horror as a body came hurling down at them from the eighth story window. People were screaming and officers pointed their guns, ready to shoot at the windows while the five of them watched the body slam to the ground, the thud as it hit the ground resounding in their ears. They rushed forward to find a male's body, dismembered and bleeding, lay before them in a heap. It was like someone tossed down a piece of trash with a lack of total disregard for human life and it made them both sickened and angry.

Todoroki went to check for a pulse but knew before he even tried he wouldn't find one. This man's eyes were open and seemed fixed in a permanent state of shock as it stared blankly at them. He looked horrible, like someone had taken a baseball bat to him, cutting him open to flay him alive. His left arm was missing, and he was almost unrecognizable.

He shook his head sadly and looked up to the building. None of them saw a thing.

"Move!" A firm demanding voice said and they stood to see the police chief, Yagi Toshinori storming over with some more men. The look on his face when he saw the deceased man was a look of shock, disgust, and anguish. His piercing blue eyes then turned to the building, "Get this man covered up, give him some shred of dignitiy." He hissed as he stormed back and grabbed the megaphone from another officer. Someone came over with a sheet to cover the man. They couldn't move him yet due to it being a crime scene, but with all the onlookers and journalists intermingled with photographers and police, it was evident that there was savagery going on in the building.

"We have to get in there." Kirishima said firmly, his face turning green as they walked away from the body.

"We don't know the full extent of the situation." Midorya explained.

"The amount of time that's gone by, if this is just one of the victims, there's seven more in there, who knows how long this will take and we need answers and they need help." Kirishima argued.

Iida seemed to weigh his options as Midorya and Kirishima argued. Todoroki glanced at Bakugo who for the first time since knowing him in his career, looked deathly calm. He wasn't his normal cocky self, ready to shoot at random; he was pondering something. It was a moment like this that did give Todoroki pause because when Bakugo became serious, the situation was serious. It was the only thing he truly trusted about the hot heads work ethic.

The four of them started at the force together, all with different backgrounds but the same level of intensity to do their job well. They normally worked in pairs but stayed a group.

Iida, their captain, kept the order and played by the rules when they couldn't.

Midorya usually followed the rules, but when it came to rescue, he was impulsive and headstrong. He was the one Todoroki followed instinctively as Midorya was very methodical and logical. Todoroki was the one they always sent in if it got chaotic at any time. He had the ability to stare down an opponent and make them cringe without saying a word. Whether it was the burn scar on the left side of his face or his cold eyes, he didn't know, but he was always able to keep a level head even in times of crisis. Kirishima was the one everyone on the force called 'the muscle'. He could tackle any criminal and still have a smile on his face. He was usually the good cop when everyone else felt like they couldn't handle the stress. He usually got partnered with Bakugo as his good nature usually came in handy in calming down the hot-headed blonde who seemed to explode with every syllable.

This was a team Todoroki could count on and he could usually predict how each would handle a situation. But much like the current hostage situation going on, he had no clue what was going on inside the mind of Bakugo.

"This is taking too long and who knows what's happening up there!" Kirishima nearly cried.

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Bakugo suddenly chimed in.

They all stared at him and he pointed. Looking up they suddenly noticed a large white banner, most likely made from some table cloth being hung out the window. It was covered in red markings and between trying to figure out what it was and see if they could spot the criminals they were able to catch what it said; WE'RE DONE FOR NOW

…..

Ochako felt dizzy but above all felt nothing but pain. Her swollen eyes blinked open, her throat trying desperately to work as she heard muffled voices around her.

She couldn't move and every breath she tried to take caused her whole body to shoot pain in every direction. She tried to figure out where she was and what was happening. She suddenly felt something put on her face and felt clean air for the first time since that horrible blast in the building.

"Ma'am!" A voice called to her, "Ma'am? Can you hear us?"

She felt fingers prodding her and she wanted to tell them to stop but could barely move her lips. Fuzzy images started to come together, and she could start to see a little more clearly.

The first thing she saw was a severed arm; her friend's arm. She knew it was hers by the watch she always wore…used to wear.

A single tear fell down her face as horrible images flooded her memory, images of watching her coworkers and friends beaten, burned, dismembered, and tossed around like garbage. She remembered the laughter mixed in with the screams of pain. She remembered when it was her turn.

Her ears began to ring, and she felt lifted off the ground and realized that she was on a stretcher and finally leaving that hell hole. She prayed she wasn't the only one leaving just barely alive. At least she'd see the sun shining one last time.

She managed to glance over at the voice and saw a head of green hair and soft green eyes staring down at her. It was the friendliest face she'd seen all day and she was relieved to know she'd at least have someone kind tending to her as she took her final breaths.

"O-Ochako Ura-Uraraka." She breathed out.

"Uraraka?" He repeated.

She blinked and he nodded, "Don't worry, we're taking you to the hospital now, you're safe."

"My-my friends…" she breathed again.

His face fell for a fraction of a second before putting on a comforting smile, but it was too late, she'd seen the look on his face and knew, no one else was getting out of that building alive.

As bright sunlight hit her face, flashes of blood pierced into her mind and the horror of what happened sunk in. She didn't want to think about that before she died, she wanted to see the sun, she wanted to see her friends…she wanted her parents.

But with that final thought, darkness overtook her, and she took it willingly, not wanting to feel pain anymore.


	2. Floating

Chapter 2: Floating

"My God." Iida breathed, looking grim.

Everyone stared at the disgusting display before them with somber eyes. Limbs and bodies, all mangled and dismembered were placed in the shape of some sort of symbol. Blood coated the wall in spurts. Dead, petrified eyes stared up in horror. And among all of this, was one survivor.

She was the only one to not have been dismembered and ultimately killed but she had been tortured within an inch of her life before being placed haphazardly among the bodies that formed this odd symbol.

Midorya was the one who discovered her and immediately alerted paramedics. No one knew if she would make it to the hospital alive, but they hoped she did. Not just for her sake, but for information they needed. They had no clue who had done this, how they got away with it, and why.

Todoroki came in and panted, "All exits were sealed, and the roof was checked. There's no way they got out of here without us seeing them."

"Then we search every inch of this building." Chief Yagi ordered, "Check walls, ceilings, vents, elevators, cameras! I want to know how these monsters got in and did this in under an hour and how the hell they escaped."

"How's the girl?" Kirishima asked Todoroki.

He looked grim as he recalled seeing the girl tended to by Midorya. He didn't know if he could find the right words to describe what she looked like she'd been through but he knew it wasn't good, "Hopefully she makes it." He said aloud, feeling sick that he had to think that way. The fact that she was just barely alive was nothing short of a miracle and he wanted to hold on to hope. He was just grateful Midorya volunteered to be the one to escort her to the hospital and watch her because he didn't know if he could stomach it now.

"Where's Bakugo?" Kirishima suddenly asked, interrupting his musing.

"He's pounding on walls and ceilings like a madman." Todoroki shrugged. He couldn't blame the guy, he wanted to find the scumbags just as badly.

"He must be pretty shaken up." Kirishima nodded, "I've never seen him like that before."

"Let's keep our focus," Iida said as he came over once he'd finished talking with the chief, "we need to get some answers and bring justice to these people."

They agreed and stepped aside to begin letting the crime scene experts come in and begin the processing and gather evidence.

Todoroki left with Kirishima while Captain Iida went back to stand by the chief who still had a look of anguish splashed across angry features.

"Never," he grumbled sadly to Iida, "In the twenty years I've worked this city did anything like this ever occur."

Iida watched him and had to admit to himself how much he and his team admired this man. He was a pinnacle leader and wonderful problem solver. He cared about his men, he cared about his city, and he cared about justice. This had to be earth shattering for him.

"I don't know what these people could possibly want." Iida admitted softly, "But this…"

"They want something and they're going to go to horrible lengths to get it." The chief sighed.

"You think they'll strike again?" Iida asked nervously.

"You read the sign." The chief shrugged, "They aren't done yet."

….

Midorya didn't know why but he couldn't let go of this woman's hand. He felt sick to his stomach and kept sending a silent prayer to whoever was listening to keep this girl alive.

Visions of rushing up amidst the chaos, the quiet, and then the horror flooded his memory. Everything was caked in blood, the walls the floors, the windows, the furniture.

And yet, she'd been lying there, among the blood and with it he prayed that maybe, just maybe, he'd save one person that day. When he'd felt the tiniest of heartbeats, he knew he had to spring into action. If she pulled through, not only would she be alive, she would be able to save so many people by giving them as much information as she could. But he had to think about her right now. He had to save her.

It was hard to see her go to the operating room, wondering if she would even make it out of there alive. Her question to him, about her friends haunted him. He had wanted to give her hope before she closed her eyes and he sincerely wanted it to be true. He didn't want her to be the only survivor he wanted her and others to have survived! He couldn't imagine waking up after something like this, knowing you alone suffered something so horrific and no one else made it. He knew his job meant he would have to deal with death, pain, and so much more. He had faced death every day the second he put his badge on, and yet today, this was the one that finally hit him the hardest.

He pondered the scene, all the details and events of the day as he paced the hospital, murmuring at times to see if he could make sense of it. He didn't know how long he'd done this until he heard a doctor coming towards him, "Detective?"

He looked up and braced himself for any news about the girl.

To his relief the doctor gave him a grim smile, "She's alive and stable now. She took quite a beating, but she fought back pretty hard."

"Thank you!" Midorya breathed happily, "When can we speak to her?"

"We'll keep her overnight under our supervision, but she shouldn't have visitors until she wakes up after twenty-four hours."

Midorya hated to wait that long but it would be worth it so long as she was alive, "Can I stay here and guard her room?" he asked.

"If you clear it with your supervisor, I have no objection, but do not question her for twenty-four hours."

"Understood" Midorya nodded. If this girl was alive, he was going to make sure it stayed that way.

….

Ochako felt as if she was floating, it was nice. But as she tried to make sense of what was happening around her, she saw flashes of bright red and muffled voices; a mixture of screaming and laughter. She moaned helplessly when she heard the first clear human voice break that awful barrier.

"Miss Uraraka?"

She reached for that voice with all her might, begging for a release from the floating sensation and to get back to the world she knew and understood. She wanted away from the blackness and flashes of blood, the screaming and laughter.

"Miss Uraraka?"

She counted to three and opened her eyes as the thought 'release'. Bright lights hit her directly in the face and a ringing sound echoed in her ears. She hated that sound and couldn't understand why it bothered her, but it did.

"She's awake!" a male voice said from right next to her.

She moaned in pain as all the sensations of falling rushed from her toes all the way to her head. Everything was starting to spin but she had to stay here, she couldn't go back into that nightmare world.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" the voice asked her in a gentle tone.

She finally caught a glimpse of messy green hair with emerald eyes and instantly recognized him; the first friendly face she'd seen that morning. She hoped she was smiling at him but couldn't tell.

"Give her a minute, Midorya." Another voice said from her other side, he sounded stern and in control. She forced her eyes to move and found a man with black hair and glasses also staring down at her softly.

"Where?" she managed to choke out.

"You're all right," The man obviously named Midorya informed her, "You're at the hospital and you're safe."

"No." she breathed, trying to ask him, "Friends?"

She noticed as her vision became clearer that both men gave each other a look before looking back down at her.

"You idiots going to tell her, or should I?" A sudden voice said from the corner of the room, it sounded rough and angry almost.

"Bakugo, not now!" A hushed voice in the room hissed angrily.

"Look, she asked," She heard the man they called Bakugo say, "She's going to learn sooner or later, just get it over with."

The man with the glasses seemed ready to shout but Midorya stopped him, "Captain, he has a point. We can't lie to her."

"Gone." She breathed, releasing a tear at the realization of what she already knew.

They both looked down at her sadly, "I'm afraid so." Midorya said, putting his hand on her arm, "Their bodies are safe at the coroners and their families are going to put them to rest properly." He added.

As much as she wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all, she was relieved to know that her friends were at least out of that hell hole.

"Me?" she managed, trying to swallow, "How bad?"

Midorya seemed puzzled but then understood, "You'll be okay, no major arteries were hit. They stitched you up and your broken ribs will heal."

"What else?" she asked him, feeling like she was at least no longer in the nightmare.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"My arms and legs?" she asked fearfully. She'd watched those monsters rip her friends' limbs off and was scared to know what appendage she lost as she could barely feel anything.

"They're okay, none of those bones were broken but they took a pretty bad beating."

She felt a sigh of relief that was short lived, "Where are they?" she asked in a fearful tone.

He must have guessed what she was talking about as he shook his head, looking away.

"Bastards got away." Bakugo grumbled from the corner, "Should have just sent me in there, I'd have at least- "

"Bakugo, that's enough." The captain said sternly before turning back to her and asking softly, "Miss Uraraka, we understand that this has been a horrible ordeal, but I assure you that we will do everything in our power to catch the men responsible."

Midorya nodded firmly.

"My name is Captain Tenya Iida." The captain introduced, "These are my best men, Izuku Midorya, Katsuki Bakugo, Eijiro Kirishima, and Shouto Todoroki."

She looked around and finally got a good look at each of the men surrounding her. The one called Bakugo had blonde hair and what looked like red eyes and a rather angry face, this didn't surprise her. Kirishima had red spiky hair but soft eyes, much like Midorya, and Todoroki had red and white hair that fell down his face and just reached his cold blue eyes. He was easy to spot with the mark on his face that she guessed was either a scar or a birthmark.

All wore dress shirts and badges with guns in holsters. All were staring at her intently. And all of them had a look of determination that gave her a small bit of hope.

"I promise you," Captain Iida said firmly, "these criminals will be brought to justice and we will all see to it that it happens."

She nodded in thanks, hoping that they could catch the people responsible so her friends could be avenged. None of the people working with her deserved what had happened, they had loved ones and families who cared about them.

A sudden thought came to her and she gasped, "My parents!"

"It's alright, they have been alerted of your condition, they plan to come as soon as they can." Captain Iida smiled.

She felt a tiny sense of relief mixed with sadness, knowing her parents were the only ones to come to the hospital and not a morgue to see her.

"We could really use your help." Todoroki broke through her thoughts, "Any information you have on the people who did this, we can use to catch them."

Flashes of masks, faces, blood, and gore flew into her mind and she almost retched. She didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to have anything more to do with them, but she knew, if she didn't help in some way, she would never forgive herself.

She nodded reluctantly, waiting for the onslaught of questions.

"How many were involved?" Todoroki asked as they all got out pens and paper.

She thought hard, trying to remember, "Five." She nodded, "Four men and one woman."

"How many of you were held hostage?" He continued.

Every face, every tear and sob, every limb torn, and bones shattered pierced her memory like a knife and she felt more tears pool into her eyes, "Seven." She whispered, "And me."

She would have said eight, but it didn't feel right. She didn't feel part of that, she was separate now. She had lived and they had not.

As the questions went on, she felt the whole morning come racing back in waves of details. She recounted how normal it had been that morning, the explosion, the masks and then the darkness. She recounted the voices and then the earthshattering moments of torture she had been forced to watch before they finally moved to her.

That's right, she had been the last one. She felt the pain as the first crashing blow hit her right in the chest. Then more pain that she couldn't even keep track of as more blows and stabs thrust into her body. She then remembered the ringing sound; her ears had been ringing and then; darkness.

A doctor came in just then, "I'm sorry detectives, but we need to run some tests and she needs rest now. You can come by in a few hours."

She felt a sense of relief that it was over but knew this was only the beginning. She would have to relive it constantly and she would have to get used to seeing these detectives until the criminals were found. She would have to recount more details about them; their eyes, their hair, their voices. It was overwhelming and she finally felt bile rising in her throat.

Midorya rushed to get a bucket and held it for her as she dries heaved into it, wishing something besides sobs came out.

"We should leave her alone for a bit." Kirishima suggested, "It's been a long day."

Midorya stayed behind to soothe her, something he had always been good at with victims of crimes. The rest of the detectives headed out and Iida finally took a breath, "It was good information, but we'll definitely need more as time goes on."

"It's a start." Todoroki nodded, "She's going to be an amazing help with this."

"She got lucky; I'll say that." Bakugo admitted.

"Yeah," Todoroki nodded, his eyes narrowing as he pulled out his notepad, "Actually, she was their last victim, so no major damage was done to her, it was like she was an afterthought or a rushed job."

Kirishima rubbed his eyes, "Either way, it's fucked up and I need to get some shut eye."

"I suggest you all get rest, we'll put police surveillance here for twenty-four-hour shifts." Iida said, "We can't afford to have more harm come to her."

"I can stay, relieve Midorya," Todoroki offered.

Iida nodded, "Alright, one of us will relieve you in a few hours, call us if there's any hint of trouble."

Todoroki nodded and walked back into the room to see Midorya standing by the door and allowing the doctor to assist Uraraka. She was finally back asleep, and her vitals were better.

"You go get some rest," Todoroki ordered Midorya, "I'm going to keep watch for a few hours."

"Sure." Midorya nodded, rubbing his eyes from exhaustion.

"Hey, can I run something by you real fast?" Todoroki asked.

Midorya nodded, hands on his hips.

"Bakugo mentioned that she was lucky. She was the last one they tortured or tried to kill. But they put a lot of detail into the other murders and hers seemed…"

"Rushed." Midorya nodded, "I noticed that too."

"What do you think kept them from finishing her off?" Todoroki asked.

Midorya furrowed his brow but shook his head, "I don't know, maybe there's something we missed."

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking."

Midorya yawned and patted Todoroki's shoulder, "Keep me posted, I'll let you know if I come up with anything."

Todoroki nodded and found a chair to sit in. He began looking through his notes making questions to ask her and finding details where he could. He rubbed his eyes and checked his watch after a few hours, relieved to have someone coming to break him soon.

He jumped when Kirishima came in, "Hey, you need to see this."

He turned on the TV that was in the room and Todoroki felt his heart sink; Uraraka's picture was on the screen as a giant news segment about the events of the day unfolded. He knew they would do a news story, but he didn't think pictures of the victims would be up so soon. And what really hit him was the image of Uraraka and what was said underneath it; sole survivor.

"This is bad." He groaned.


	3. Head Down

Chapter 3-Head Down

Bakugo was starting to really hate everyone at this point. Not only did his workout get interrupted, he had to go back to the damn hospital for a mandatory meeting with his team. Like he didn't see his fellow detectives enough already.

He marched in briskly, looking ready to blow up at the next person who addressed him. He made his way to the victim's room where his team had gathered outside in the halls. They were huddled and talking in hushed tones. He took a moment to glance at the girl, sleeping calmly but looking like a walking bruise.

"This better be good." He growled as he reached his team.

"It's not." Todoroki said in a matter of fact tone, "The media just released the news that there was a survivor from today."

"So?" Bakugo shrugged, getting irritated.

"So," Todoroki continued, "They put up her picture and her name with it."

"Shit." Bakugo finally agreed, leave it to the media circus to mess up an ongoing investigation. Not only were five sadistic criminals on the loose, but now the public had to panic, and the assholes who did this could target Uraraka and disappear entirely before they had a chance to even get started trying to locate them.

"I spoke with the chief and he's not sure how that information got out, but it had to have been some journalist." Iida said, his lips pursed in annoyance, "Uraraka is in serious danger now."

"It won't take them long to figure out she's at a hospital and with only three in the city, they'll narrow it down since there's five of these clowns." Kirishima nodded.

"Great, which hospital am I watching and when can I shoot?" Bakugo said.

Todoroki rolled his eyes, but Iida stared at him coldly, "You won't be going to the hospitals."

"Cool, get me in the streets where I can massacre these idiots." He smiled.

"No," Iida shook his head, "At first I thought Midorya should be the one to take Uraraka to the safe house, but I've decided that you'll be the one taking her."

Bakugo thought he was hearing things for a moment, "You want to repeat that Four Eyes?"

"You heard me." Iida commanded, "And it's Captain to you. You're taking her to the safe house where you will watch and keep her safe until further notice."

"You can't be serious." Bakugo began fuming, "I'm not babysitting some girl, I belong out there catching these assholes!"

"That's my final decision, Bakugo, you can either keep her safe or you can consider yourself off this case." Iida said firmly, staring him down.

The rest of the team looked nervous but at the same time, had to admit it would make much more sense. Bakugo was a loose cannon and this required more stealth and less rough housing. Between Midorya and Todoroki's problem-solving skills, Iida's direction and Kirishima's muscle, the case would get solved much faster between them and far under the radar. And though Bakugo could be insufferable at times, he would do everything to keep Uraraka safe and that's what the team needed now more than ever.

Bakugo looked around at his team who'd obviously decided without him what the plan was, and it infuriated him more. This meant they got to go undercover and look for the criminals while he played house with some frail girl and it really pissed him off.

He wanted to shout, make a scene, convince his team that he shouldn't be the one to do this, but even he knew it would get them nowhere, and as much as he liked his pride, he was first and foremost a detective and he was not about to get kicked off of a case. So, he settled for growling angrily and punching a wall as he turned to walk away.

"Captain, are you sure about this?" Midorya asked, "Uraraka really needs support right now and Kaachan isn't exactly- "

"Kid friendly." Kirishima added with a snort.

"I know," Iida sighed, rubbing his temples, "But she needs protection and I know he will do that. I trust him entirely on that end, what I don't trust is his impulsiveness."

They had to agree it made sense and even though he would be sore about it for a while, he was still part of the team and regardless of their feelings, their number one priority now was keeping Uraraka safe and finding the monsters that committed this atrocious crime, and deep down, they knew that was Bakugo's number one priority as well.

"I've briefed the chief on the plan," Iida then explained, "An officer is collecting her parents and they will stay somewhere safe. One of you will need to get some things for her while Bakugo gets what he needs."

"I'll get her things." Midorya said, grabbing his phone and then rushing towards the front.

"Kirishima," Iida pointed, "You are providing the car, bring it to the lowest garage by the back stairwell."

Kirishima nodded and went off to do what he needed.

"And Todoroki," he finally said, "You and I are taking care of the distraction. I'll fill you in while we wait for Bakugo to grab his things."

Todoroki listened and agreed it was a good plan. They would use an undercover officer to pose as Uraraka in a stretcher and get her towards a back entrance to put her in an ambulance that would go in a different direction than Bakugo's car.

Midorya came back in less than thirty minutes and Bakugo just behind him, holding some bags, "Hurry up, Deku." He grunted angrily as both went into the room and shut the door to get two duffels filled up with clothes, guns, and a few other assorted items.

"Here," Midorya said, handing Bakugo an envelope, "Key to the safe house."

"Whatever." He grumbled, grabbing it and stuffing it in his pocket as he zipped up the bags.

"Good luck, Kaachan." Midorya smiled positively for him.

"I don't need luck you idiot," he spat back, "go make yourself useful."

Both Midorya and Todoroki left the room and Iida came over to him, "You have everything you need."

"Yeah, I know." He snarled.

"Listen," Iida said calmly, "I know this isn't a task you want, but I do trust you to do it well. Protect Uraraka."

"I know Cap, I'm not dumb." He huffed.

Iida smiled a little and then turned, "Be careful." He said before shutting the door, leaving Bakugo to pace and mutter angrily. Hopefully, a little time away would do the detective some good. Either way, Iida was confident in his team and always would be.

…..

Uraraka opened her eyes and the first thing she wanted to do was throw up. She held her hand over her mouth and realized that one of the detectives, Bakugo as she recalled, was pacing her room and on the phone talking angrily. His eyes caught hers and he ended the call, rushing to her, "Okay round face, we need to get you dressed and ready to go."

"What?" she gasped in confusion, feeling a wave of nausea come over her.

"Witness Protection, so get ready to get out of bed." He explained briskly as a doctor came in.

"I don't- "she choked out as the doctor grimly removed her IV's and assisted her in sitting up. A nurse then came in and gave Bakugo some pain medication to put in the bags and took some clothes from him to put on Uraraka. He shut the curtain as both the doctor and nurse assisted her and all she could do was go into a full blown panic.

"What is happening?" she choked out.

"Shh…" the nurse crooned, "You need to stay calm."

"We're giving you what you need for this. You should be safe to travel but do not engage in too much movement." The doctor explained as she was given a loose t-shirt and black sweatpants to put on.

"I don't understand." She said, ready to cry.

"I'll explain on the way, just hurry up!" Bakugo yelled across the curtain.

Uraraka felt the blood rush to her head and finally leaned over to dry heave once more, coughing violently and feeling a wave of pain rush through her.

"You need to take it easy." The doctor instructed as the nurse pulled a black hooded jacket around her and zipped her up with a sad smile.

"You ready?" Bakugo called.

The curtain was pulled back by the doctor and he nodded as Uraraka was guided carefully towards him. She practically hobbled and he hoped she would make it on the way down. He quickly grasped her arm only for her to jolt back and shriek nervously.

He sighed feeling frustrated and tried a different approach, "I'm not going to hurt you, but we need to go." He insisted. She nodded nervously as she looked at him and he grabbed her arm a little more gently and both walked awkwardly towards the door.

He looked out the window and saw the okay from an officer and then pulled her out into the hall, holding her a little close to him and leading her to a stairway. He walked in and she grew nervous with how quiet it was very suddenly. As the door shut he turned to her and pulled her hood up to cover her face and gave her a stern look, "Here's what's going to happen," he explained, "You have to keep up with me, don't speak, and keep your head down. Whatever order I give you, you follow it, understood?"

She didn't even know what day it was at this point and wanted to scream. All she could manage was a weak nod before he led her down nearly five flights of stairs. Every step made her body ache, but she just kept her head down, relieved her nausea went away by now.

Bakugo seemed to pause near each floor and listen. He'd been told what the plan was so hoped it went well and he could get out scot free. He began to worry about her as he reached the ground floor, knowing she was close to passing out and he really didn't feel like carrying two bags, a gun and an unconscious girl down more steps.

"Don't pass out on me yet, kid." He grumbled as they finally made their way to the basement, her face taking on a sicklier tone. He reached the bottom with her and then put a hand to his gun, looking carefully around before checking the window. He could see a car waiting for them and then saw the familiar shade of bright red hair come around and nod to him.

"Let's go." He told her, gripping her firmly to him and opening the door. He put his hand on her head to keep her as low as possible as they rushed to the car where Kirishima opened it.

Uraraka was placed onto the floor of the car and she noticed someone had folded a towel for her to rest her head. She was then covered with a dark blanket, "Just stay down here," Kirishima said as Bakugo put the bags in the trunk, "You'll be in the clear soon, Uraraka."

She wanted to thank him but was too scared of throwing up so she could only move her head slightly. She heard the door shut while Bakugo was tossed the keys to the car.

"Have fun, bro!" Kirishima joked.

"Shut up Shitty Hair!" Bakugo barked back before getting in. He looked back to see Uraraka shaking and breathing a little too shallowly on the floor underneath the blanket, "Get comfy Round Face," he sighed as he peeled out, "Got about five hours of this."

Five fucking hours. He wanted to blow something up at this point. Five hours of driving to a shitty cabin in the middle of nowehere with an injured girl. He checked his breathing as he reached a red light and turned to check on her one more time, "You puke in the car, you clean it up, got it?"

"Okay." She murmured.

He chuckled at that, hoping she'd be a little more entertaining once they got there. As the light turned green, he had his mission and drove like a bat out of hell to remove her from a town that had obviously gone to shit overnight.

…..

Uraraka woke with a start as she heard a loud thud. She opened her eyes and felt pain shoot through her chest as she tried to adjust herself. She'd fallen asleep on the floor of the car and now felt pins and needles all down her legs.

The car door opened, and she looked up to see Bakugo staring down at her and reaching out to help her, "You going to make it, round face?" he asked her.

She allowed his help in sitting up and finally got settled on the actual seat of the car in the back. She rubbed her head where it ached and looked around, "Where are we?" she asked him.

He shrugged, "Nowhere." He said as he handed her a back of chips, "Here."

"Thanks." She said, taking the bag gratefully. She normally didn't eat chips but she was so hungry she didn't even care considering all she had that morning was milk and Jell-O.

She imagined ice cream for a minute, and pizza and felt her mouth water, deciding to push it away.

She looked up at him and almost forgot for a minute that he was a cop. He wore jeans and a black t-shirt under a worn leather jacket, sipping on an energy drink and pacing a little. If it hadn't been for the glint of metal under his jacket she would have forgotten he had a gun.

"You want to sit up front?" he asked her suddenly.

"Sure." She said softly as she pulled herself out and stood for a moment, taking a whiff of chilly dusk air. They were definitely in the middle of nowhere and all she could hear was the buzzing of crickets and birds.

He finished his drink and took her chip bag, now empty to toss in a garbage bin nearby. She got in the front and sat back, taking a quick breath. He finally got in and started the car, "We'll be there in about two hours, try not to puke or anything." He said as he handed her a bottled water.

"What happened?" she finally asked him, not bothering with the water.

He buckled his seatbelt and checked hers before taking off, "The media put your picture and name on the news. We weren't sure if they'd try to get to you and we need you alive." He admitted.

She wasn't sure if it was the motion sickness, her injuries or this news that made her stomach drop. Those people who did the horrible things to her now knew her name. They knew she was alive and she didn't want to even fathom what would happen if they found her.

"My parents!" she shouted suddenly, making him jump a little and give her a look, "Are they safe?!" she asked worriedly.

"Relax, round face, someone is watching them, but chances are they can't leave or go anywhere for a while either."

She felt some relief but truly worried for her parents. Who knew what could happen to them and where they were? And she so desperately wanted to see them, to hold them close. She had to push the thought away before she cried. She quickly thought of something else to think about and finally asked him, "Why do you call me round face?"

"I don't know, your face is round." He shrugged, "I call everyone something stupid."

"Really? But you're a detective, shouldn't you know names" she asked.

"Course I remember names, I just don't care." He admitted, "Can't call people by their real names or you start caring about them and shit."

She smiled for the first time since her horrific experience and managed to look up, "That's funny."

"No it's not, it's just what it is." He snorted.

"I never had a nickname before." She admitted, "I was always surrounded by people shooting for the top."

"Let me guess, you tried for a top spot at your company." He commented.

She nodded, "I was supposed to present a big project to some of the CEO's yesterday, that's probably why they got me first, I was already in the conference- "she stopped, feeling bile again as flashes of red burned her eyes.

"Don't puke!" he warned.

"No, it's not that- "she stammered.

If he wondered what it was, he didn't ask, merely side-eyed her every few minutes. She tried staring ahead but found the blood and sounds of laughter were too much as she put her hands to her head trying to get a grip.

"What were you presenting?" he asked her out of the blue.

"Huh?" she breathed.

"Not that I care but was your project at least interesting?" he asked.

"Oh…" she started, trying to blink away the memories, "Um, it wasn't really that great. A campaign to increase blood drives and blood donations. To be honest, I just wanted to get a higher position to start supporting my parents, you know."

"Sounds noble." He snorted.

"Didn't matter I guess." She sighed, looking out the window as trees flew by the passing car. It was almost fully dark now and thoughts clouded her mind giving her a terrible headache. It seemed ironic to her and it had to for him as well, her project about blood donations and now here she was surrounded by images of blood. She groaned inwardly and rested her head back against the seat, shutting her eyes. She must have fallen asleep at one point because a slight turn woke her up.

"What-?" She gasped.

"Made it." He said as he drove down a hidden trail and deep into the darkened woods. She had to wonder how far back this cabin was but was answered after about three minutes when a small cabin came into view of the headlights. He parked his car off to the side and shut off the engine.

She stared at the small cabin as he got out and walked briskly to the trunk to get their bags. She crawled out slowly and then managed to stand upright.

"Follow me." He ordered, carrying two black duffel bags. They walked up to the house and he used a key from his pocket to unlock it.

It smelled musty and was completely dark. He found the light switch to reveal a modest looking cabin with a couch that obviously came from someone's basement, a couple of armchairs with entirely different designs, a very small kitchen and a lopsided kitchen table with only two chairs.

"Home sweet home." He grumbled bitterly as he shut the door and locked it with at least 3 locks, "You pick which room you want, I could care less. Shower's down the hall, there's at least two toilets. Keep the blinds closed and never go outside without me, got it?"

She nodded and walked further inside and looked around, "Is there a TV?" she asked.

"Nope." He growled, "The only source of outside communication is me, my phone and some stupid police radio."

"So, they'll call you and check in, right?" she asked.

"When it's safe I'll tell you." He explained briskly.

He walked one of the duffels to one of the doorways, "You want this one?"

"Sure." She shrugged walking towards him.

He brought one of the duffels inside and began unloading some things that must be clothes and toiletries for herself.

She came into the room and saw a twin sized bed with a quilt on it and a tiny wardrobe. He walked past her, "Make yourself at home, I have to make some quick calls."

She didn't say anything as his footsteps grew further away. She turned and shut the door. Once she heard the click, she dropped to her knees, held a hand to her mouth and finally sobbed.

…..

"Bakugo made it." Iida informed the group, "They're both safe."

Everyone seemed relieved but now had a new task at hand; they had to figure out who these people were and what their motive was. Uraraka had given them good descriptions but it still wasn't enough to give them an idea of who and what they were.

"We should start with the leader." Todoroki insisted, "He sounded the most out of place, she described him as some sort of skeleton like thing."

"But what if those were also disguises?" Iida asked.

Midorya shook his head, "I don't think so. Think about it, their motive was to kill, they most likely didn't want any survivors so showing their faces wouldn't have mattered."

Todoroki nodded, "What if this leader is ill in some way? Maybe we can narrow down some hospitals who might have seen someone resembling him?"

"Any hospital would have seen someone like that." Kirishima argued, flipping his pen in his hand, "What I want to know is, what did this symbol mean?"

"I looked it up last night!" Midorya exclaimed, opening a photo on his phone, "it's a symbol that represents anarchy."

"But the picture made it look like a V." Kirishima commented.

"I thought that too, but that was taken after Uraraka was removed, she was the last piece." Midorya said.

"Holy shit." Kirishima breathed.

"Anarchy." Todoroki nodded bitterly, "Sounds fitting."

"And their note to the public," Iida added, "We're done for now. This is only the beginning."

"Maybe they won't go after Uraraka then?" Kirishima said.

"I doubt that," Todoroki commented, "Like Midorya said, they wanted people dead, Uraraka was supposed to get killed like the others, I'm sure of it."

"So how did she survive?" Iida asked.

"Not how, why." Todoroki corrected.

They all pondered for a moment when they were interrupted by a fellow officer who burst into the room, "Captain! Detectives! You need to see this!"

They all exchanged nervous looks and followed him out where more officers gathered around the TV.

"Mother of God." One of the officers in the area breathed.

They all watched in horror as a building that had caught on fire was shown blazing violently on screen, but the worst part was the shape of the fire; the symbol of the bodies shown.

They listened as the worried newscaster explained that there had been workers in the building and that some had not been found by firefighters; whereabouts unknown at this time.

"I don't think these guys are just plain criminals." Kirishima breathed, "They're straight up psychopaths."


	4. Poker Face

Chapter 4-Poker Face

Bakugo was glad he was getting updates from his team here and there, but he also hated that he wasn't there to help. It bothered him that the captain thought that he of all people could ruin the investigation. Now here he was trapped in an isolated cabin with a traumatized girl. Not to mention she was still recovering from her injuries so he was also having to play nurse.

He'd offered her some medication earlier but she ignored him, not even opening her door and he figured she was either dumb, dramatic, or brave. He stayed in the kitchen and began going through his notes when he finally heard the door open and she appeared but now actually wearing a white t-shirt and pink shorts. For a second he looked past some of the bruises and cuts and noticed she was quite an attractive girl. He didn't realize he was staring until she gave him an uneasy look and he quickly looked away, "Need something?" he asked, hoping it was her medication.

"Is there like something edible I can eat?" she asked him, "I haven't had anything but chips today."

"Shit, I'm surprised you're even standing." He admitted as he got up to go to the cupboards, "Yeah, people knew we were coming so they stocked some food, pretty basic shit but it's something."

She walked over and looked around, finally grabbing a loaf of bread, jam and peanut butter, "Did you want one?" she asked him.

No one had made him a PB and J in years, "Sure." He nodded, feeling hungry himself. He felt a little bad he hadn't given her something earlier but figured the hospital had fed her. Had he known she hadn't really eaten he'd have gotten her a whole box of doughnuts or something better.

He watched her get to work finding knives and plates. Hell, if it weren't for the fact, they were both in a safe house right now and she not covered in bruises and bandages, it would have seemed normal.

As she got to work he took her in again, this time taking note of the burns, the bruises, and nasty cuts coating her appendages. He'd read her report from the doctors and knew this wasn't the worst of her injuries; two broken ribs, at least twelve stab wounds into her chest and back, and a nasty concussion. Somewhere down the line, she'd also have some pretty serious PTSD. He had to give her credit that she refused pain medication, but he also thought it was stupid. He himself had gotten banged up a few times and even then needed pain medication.

She handed him his sandwich and he nodded in appreciation and walked to the table as he took a bite. She seemed frozen for a moment but then began eating slowly as she also came to the table, taking small bites and he had a feeling it was due to her stomach being all over the place.

They were quiet for some time and he was reminded of some pretty shitty dates he'd been on. He had never been one to start conversation let alone comfort anyone; he let Midorya do that. Damn Deku should be here instead of him, he thought bitterly.

"How do you do it?" she spoke up then.

"Do what?" he asked, finishing his sandwich.

"Sleep at night."

"I go to bed and wake up." He stated bluntly.

"No…" she looked up at him and he could see the absolute horror she'd witnessed traced in her tired eyes, "When you see death, how do you sleep again?"

He wasn't quite sure how to answer that one for her. He was a cop, he'd seen a lot of things, but her, she was just some office worker who woke up yesterday morning hoping for a better promotion and now she was here. He decided to ask her a different question, "Did they ever tell you why they did it?"

She grew tense and nodded. He waited until she looked up, "The girl said that they were doing it because…because it's fun."

He didn't doubt that would be some psychopath's answer, even more reason he wanted them caught, "How much did you see?" he asked her.

She swallowed thickly before answering, "All of it."

"At what point did you close your eyes?" he asked.

She stared at him, "They held a gun to my head and told me to watch, I had to keep my hands on my head and listen. If I tried to shut my eyes or look away, they'd cock the gun." She looked away for a second then continued, "To answer your question though, I did close my eyes when it was my turn."

Bakugo thought he'd heard everything in his life, but even he had to admit he wasn't prepared for that.

"I didn't even try to run or fight back." She admitted bitterly, "I feel like I shouldn't even be here. Two of my coworkers had kids. I don't have anything…I'm nothing."

Bakugo finally shook his head and stared hard at her, "You took a real beating and lived to tell about it. It's just the way it is." He sat back and asked her, "When we catch these guys, what do you want to happen?"

She thought for a second, "I want…"

She thought about it, how easy it would be to want justice to want answers to want something, but she couldn't hold herself back when she finally answered him, "I want them to get hit with a baseball bat. I want them stabbed repeatedly, their limbs torn, their bones broken, their skin burned. I want them to sit in fear and watch as blood sprays them in the face. I want them to listen to the screaming of their friends dying and the laughter of sicko's thinking it's some game." She breathed heavily and he swore the look in her eyes was deadly when she finished her statement, "I want them dead."

He smiled at her finally, "That is how I sleep at night."

…

Uraraka woke to the smell of frying bacon and her stomach roared in excitement. Her eyes shot open as natural light illuminated the cabin. She stretched carefully but felt very stiff and sore. She got up and walked over to the kitchen where the smell welcomed her. She was elated to see not just bacon, but eggs and toast as well.

Bakugo seemed focused on making sure the eggs didn't burn and as much as she didn't want to disturb him, she longed to steal a piece of bacon that was waiting on a plate.

"For someone who doesn't want to sleep, you pass out like an alcoholic." He chuckled, recalling how she'd gone to the couch to sit down, refusing to go to bed, and ended up passing out. He thought about moving her but decided not to bother and settled for covering her with a blanket and hoping she stayed asleep for a while.

"Doctor said it might be the concussion." She admitted, forgetting manners and stealing a piece of bacon. It practically melted on her tongue and she sent a prayer of gratitude for the gift of breakfast.

"Speaking of alcohol, I'm dying for a shot." She admitted.

"Me too, kid, but sadly booze is the one thing they don't stock up in here."

"That sucks." She muttered.

"Tell me about it." He agreed as he plated some eggs and handed her a plate.

As they sat down, she looked up at him, "Detective- "

"Bakugo." He corrected.

"Bakugo," she said quickly, "I know keeping me here is obviously not on your list of priorities, but I do want to thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, we still haven't caught the creeps." He said through a bite of bacon.

"Still, you're a good cop and I'm very grateful to you and your team for doing this."

"What, you giving me a medal or something, just eat your breakfast round face." He scowled.

She smiled and realized that this was as far as she would get with him. At least he was thoughtful enough last night to listen to her.

She practically inhaled her breakfast and washed it down with some orange juice before finally standing and looking around, "So, what do we do all day here?"

He shrugged, "Hell if I know, saw some old games and paperbacks over in the closet earlier but that's about it."

She walked over and opened the door to find indeed that there was a pile of dusty games and books. She looked at the titles and found a couple of romances, a mystery, a nonfiction, and a thesaurus. The games she found were Monopoly, Sorry, and a deck of cards and bag of dice.

She picked up one of the romance novels and brushed dust off it and took it to one of the armchairs near the window and decided to just get lost in a crappy book about unrequited love and fanciful sex.

He was pouring over some papers and for a while both seemed lost in what they were doing individually until she got to a rather steamy part in the book and had to close it. Her cheeks grew hot when she looked up and saw Bakugo looking intently into a folder and writing some notes. His muscles bulged against his black t-shirt and damn if she didn't see his face when reading the sex scene.

He must have realized that she was staring as he turned to face her and she squeaked, throwing the book across the room. It was too late, and he'd seen the title of the book and grinned maniacally, "Was I good?"

"Shut up!" she fumed, "It's just a really dumb book."

"Uh huh." He chuckled, looking back at his folder, "I can see those pink cheeks all the way over here."

She huffed and walked back to the closet and grabbed the first thing she saw, a deck of cards and pulled a small table towards the armchair. She decided solitaire was a safe little game to play as she passed the time.

"Solitaire? Really?" he scoffed.

"My dad used to play it all the time." She reminisced, "He was never good at most things, but the man could really play a good hand of poker."

"You play?" he asked, looking up in interest.

"Of course." She smirked.

"You any good?"

She gave him a mysterious grin, "I guess."

"You have a shitty poker face." He laughed, finally getting up and coming over. He pulled the other armchair over and sat down.

"You actually want to play?" she asked him.

"Why not, I need to win something today." He admitted as she shuffled the cards swiftly and dealt them in a smooth fashion.

"We don't have anything to bet." She commented.

"Tell you what, if we make it out of this alive, the bet is buying drinks, deal?"

"You mean like at a bar?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged, "Whatever you want."

"Okay." She nodded. For a while she relaxed, remembering all the clues her dad had given her to play a mean game of poker. She was starting to worry how many drinks they were accumulating though and voiced this at one point to Bakugo, "I feel like we're starting to get into alcohol poisoning territory."

"Fine, eight drinks and a dinner." He stated calmly, throwing in the only thing they had there, monopoly pieces.

"Wait, what kind of dinner? This is getting expensive." She commented.

"Just shut up or fold." He teased.

"Fine." She huffed, tossing a fake pink dollar in the pile, "Eight drinks, a dinner and dessert."

"Better start praying." He grinned, "Call it."

He placed down a two pair looking smug.

She sighed and shook her head, clucking her tongue as she did, "I hope you like pizza." She smiled, placing a straight flush down.

"What? No fucking way!" he nearly roared.

She giggled and stretched her arms, "Did I forget to mention my father had a gambling problem?"

He had to give her credit and admit she at least played better than Icy Hot. That guys face was the same no matter what you played. And when he tried, it was a surprise to everyone.

"Oh, I can't wait to have some pizza and ice cream!" she squealed excitedly.

"Maybe if I get you drunk enough, I won't have to pay for it." He teased.

"No, rules are rules." She stated boldly.

"Fuck rules." He grumbled. Knowing full well that if he got this girl drunk enough, he'd make sure dessert was plenty fine.

…

"I just got off the phone with Bakugo," Iida said, coming into the conference room, "He and Uraraka are fine. He said she's recovering well."

"Wow, who'd have thought he'd make a good babysitter," Kirishima laughed, "Maybe he just needed a vacation."

"This is hardly a vacation; both could still be at risk." Iida admitted, "But now we have a new problem."

Todoroki nodded, "I checked with witnesses about the fire, turns out that the building consisted of employees working for an explosives plant."

"And Uraraka's work building was in the business of medical equipment." Midorya added, "They helped get products for blood transfusions and prosthetic body parts."

"So, if these guys are all about anarchy, why not go for the government buildings?" Kirishima thought aloud.

"Something tells me that's not too far down the road." Iida commented, "If they keep at this pace, who knows where they'll strike next. A police station, a hospital, a school…"

"I'm still stuck on why they let Uraraka live." Todoroki admitted, "They killed seven people and mortally wounded one in forty-five minutes, and just like that they disappear. It doesn't make sense."

"We searched everywhere, and nobody saw anyone leave the building." Iida stated.

Midorya was muttering something and they all turned to him. He looked up apologetically when he realized what he was doing and finally said, "I don't want to jump to conclusions, but is it possible they were helped on the outside?"

"That crossed my mind." Iida nodded.

"But the police would have- "Kirishima stated.

"No…I mean, what if they were helped by police." Midorya said softly.

Todoroki stared at Midorya, "That's a very serious conclusion to come to."

"But you have to agree it makes sense." Midorya said, "Think about it, "The whole building was surrounded by tons of cops, in just seconds after they put up that banner they were gone, and no one reported seeing anything suspicious leave the building. Not only that, but what if that person or persons distracted them from completely finishing off Uraraka."

"And they got sloppy in the end." Todoroki nodded, "Because they were warned."

"And," Added Midorya, "What if they were disguised as SWAT or police which is why no one noticed them."

"Guys think about this for a second," Kirishima said in a worried tone, "You're talking about a mole or a leak. That's really serious stuff."

"It can be anyone here at the force." Iida said, looking up nervously and past the door to see a mixture of police and detectives, going about the day and solving cases or talking like normal.

"Hell, it could be one of us." Kirishima said sarcastically.

"We all have alibis and were all there at the scene together, so I know it wasn't any of you." Iida said, "That and I trust you all completely."

They nodded.

"Should we warn Bakugo?" Kirishima asked.

"Don't say anything yet, we need to stay alert, do some digging." Iida shook his head, "Find out if there were any statements that stood out or if there were cameras that caught anything. After that, we need to start looking into who or what cleared each floor and entryway."

They all nodded.

"The minute something goes wrong, you all remember what to do?" Iida said, "This information stays between us."

They nodded once more before standing. Kirishima and Iida would stay back and look over footage or documented statements while keeping an eye on the precinct. Meanwhile, Todoroki and Midorya were headed to both buildings to see if there was more evidence to gather.

Iida was glad his team was reliable. He picked them himself when he became captain of his squad and knew each one personally. They were all smart, strong, and dependable. He wished he could say it about the whole precinct but Midorya had a point, if there was a mole or a leak, who knew what these criminals were capable of.

…

Uraraka had played poker, solitaire, euchre, and slap jack with Bakugo but even she was starting to feel cooped up. She could tell he was starting to get irritated as when he won, he would practically shout excitedly and when he lost, he nearly threw a chair out of frustration.

She stood and realized that she probably looked like a mess and needed a shower desperately. She wondered if she could remove her bandages and walked towards the linen closet while he went back to the kitchen grumbling about killing her in the next round of cards.

As she stepped, she suddenly felt a jolt as a loud snap cracked from under her. She moved her foot in time to notice that she had obviously stepped on some hollow flooring. Bakugo must have heard it and came over. He took the rug away from the floor and both saw an obvious trap door.

"What is that?" she asked curiously, fascinated by her find.

"Probably a panic space." He said, opening it.

It was completely dark, so he rushed to his bag and grabbed a flashlight before going and looking down. He didn't see anything but a wooden staircase and went down, ordering her to stay put.

She watched as he made it safely down, about five or six feet below ground and shone his light through the space, "Anything interesting?" she called down to him.

"Just spiders and dead rats." He shouted back.

She shivered a little and scrunched her nose in disgust.

"Oh shit, jackpot!" she heard him yell suddenly.

"What is it?" she asked.

He started climbing back up and placed a very dusty glass bottle on the floor before finally emerging with cobwebs trapped in his blonde hair.

She picked up the bottle and wiped at it with her hand, coating it in dust, "Oh my god, what is this stuff?"

"Liquor." He smiled.

"I thought you said they can't have alcohol here." She said as he took it from her and examined it. It was obviously never opened and appeared old, but he knew with liquor if it was unopened, the results would be the same.

"They must have stored it away and forgot about it." He shrugged, "Shame it's only vodka. Whiskey would have been way better, but hey, no complaints here."

"You sure it's okay to drink? It was down there for a while." She asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, "when unopened this stuff has no deadline, alcohol is alcohol."

He took it to the kitchen and put it on the counter.

"You're not going to drink it now?" she asked him as he walked back to the table, dusting himself off before gathering some of his notes.

He shook his head, "Technically I'm on the clock so can't exactly drink. It's all your pink cheeks."

She eyed the bottle and as much as she hated drinking alone, she really wanted something calm her nerves that didn't involve medication. She walked over to it and opened it. The heavy smell of alcohol filled her nostrils and she shrugged, lifting the bottle up, "Cheers." She grunted.

"Knock yourself out." Bakugo grunted back as she took a massive swig. She instantly regretted it and coughed at the putrid taste burning her throat. Her eyes watered and she wanted to throw the bottle at Bakugo's smug face.

"Oh God that is strong." She coughed.

"Figured you'd be a lightweight." He chuckled as he wrote something down on his notepad. She covered the bottle and cradled it.

"For your information," she finally managed to speak without coughing, "I was in a sorority."

He looked up at that and raised his eyebrows, "No shit." He mumbled, eyeing her up and down real fast, "Didn't take you for a party girl."

She blushed a little at that, "Technically it was a community service sorority but- "

"Hah! Knew it, you are a nerd." He laughed, shaking his head.

"Hey! I still had to jump through some major hoops." She informed him as she sat down, "And those frat boys could throw a real rage party."

He seemed unimpressed which only irritated her for some reason. Sure, she worked hard in college and joined quite a few groups to make an impression, but she still managed to have some fun in her life.

"When's the last time you actually partied a little, nerd?" he asked as he shoved his notebook aside and sat back.

She thought about it for a moment and remembered going to a company holiday party, there had been some drinking and drama but nothing major. She had had a good time, and everyone seemed happy.

The faces of her coworkers drinking and celebrating, singing bad karaoke and opening gifts. They had no idea what was to come just months later. Her face grew sad and she could tell Bakugo had noticed so quickly composed herself, "Been a while." She quickly shot out, "Not much partying in my life right now but," she said lifting the bottle, "I'm alive so cheers to that." She quickly took another swig, more prepared this time and allowing it to sit for a minute before swallowing.

He held out his hand just then and she handed him the bottle, "I'd drink to that." He admitted, taking a swig as well and merely wincing slightly at the taste, "This stuff is shit." He grunted, handing it back to her.

She couldn't argue that but suddenly felt more relaxed than before. The only thing that hadn't changed was her sadness. She put the bottle aside, realizing that as much as she wanted to drink her sorrows away, she knew better than anyone it didn't do more than give you a headache. She began to wring her hands together nervously as more faces at that Christmas party came to her mind, laughing and joking and screaming and crying and…it wasn't fair.

She jumped when she felt a hand touch her face gingerly and looked up to see he'd come over and was wiping away tears that fell down her face.

"Tears don't look good on you." He muttered with a brief sympathetic smile.

"Neither does a black eye but here we are." She sighed, wiping her face before standing and walking towards the couch. She curled up onto it and felt her eyes droop, "Will you be okay if I take a few minutes?" she asked him.

"Take a few hours, we aren't going anywhere." He shrugged as he walked towards the bathroom, "Holler if you need anything."

She already knew she wouldn't but felt some comfort as she allowed herself to sink into the couch and rest her head for a moment. She hoped that vodka would help at least give her a decent rest but either way, she knew that would be nothing short of a miracle.

Bakugo came back out of the bathroom and looked over to see she'd passed out and he shook his head with a small chuckle. He then put the vodka away, grabbing one more swallow for himself. He nearly dropped it when he heard her suddenly start crying. It wasn't very loud but it was enough to alert someone that she was in distress. She'd done this last night too and he had figured out after a while how to get her to calm down.

He sighed as he sat down, covering her with the blanket and rubbing her arm. She was curled up tightly and he pulled her legs down a bit, trying to help her get more comfortable. It seemed to work for a little while and it at least gave him some peace and quiet. He rubbed his eyes and sat back against the couch, the feeling of her tears on his hand still there and the image of her losing bits of time and going back into that hell hole he could only imagine. She'd been rubbing her hands nervously like she was trying to get something off and he had a feeling he knew what that was. He liked to say he was used to it, used to victims and survivors, used to violence. He could remember his first time being in the field and exposed to violence for the first time.

Her name had been Hagakure and she was only seventeen when it happened. Some creep targeted her in an alley. By the time the cops found her she was a real mess. Seeing her beat up and scared to death only made him want to find the predator faster, and when he did, he made sure each blow counted. He'd been suspended for that and after at least three criminals he banged up, he was let go and had to find a new precinct. He considered himself better now but as he watched Uraraka curl up tighter and cry in her sleep he only felt the old ways coming back harder. Maybe it was a good thing he was here, because he wouldn't give those monsters a chance to explain themselves.

She kept crying and he realized that his trick to calm her down had worn off and so he tried a new tactic. He figured it wouldn't hurt and she wouldn't even know it happened, it would be quick. He laid down next to her and wrapped his arm around her, hoping it would help.

It seemed to do the trick and he finally breathed a sigh of relief and found himself relaxing more and more. He couldn't remember the last time he held anyone like this, let alone just rest on a couch. He couldn't stop his eyes from closing and eventually succumbing to sleep.

…..

When Uraraka woke up she was surprised to feel rather well rested. She yawned and stretched a little, opening her eyes more to the cabin being illuminated by a bright morning. She felt for a few moments at ease as she heard wind in the trees, birds singing, Bakugo snoring behind her ear-

She jolted awake and attempted to move, only to find a strong, sinewy arm wrapped around her torso. She heard him murmur, "Shit. Go back to sleep, pink cheeks." Before holding her closer and nuzzling her neck.

"Umm…Detective…" she whispered, trying her hardest not to alarm him.

"It's Bakugo." He answered.

"Wait are you awake?!" she gasped.

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"So, you realize you're sleeping right next to me?" she clarified.

"Guess so." He shrugged before finally releasing her and stretching his arm.

She sat up quickly but winced when she felt her ribs becoming irritated. He merely adjusted himself to take over the couch and she finally braved a look at him. He looked as if he was merely resting on the couch like it was absolutely normal, like he hadn't fallen asleep holding her.

"Um," she stammered, "Should we discuss this?"

"Discuss what?" he growled, rubbing his eyes.

"Did something happen last night? I mean, I know I was drinking but- "

"What do you think happened?"

She stared incredulously at the smirk forming on his face, "Or better yet," he continued, "What do you hope happened?"

"I'm…" she choked out, her face going completely red, "going to take a shower!" she yelped, practically running to the bathroom.

She had just woken up in a secluded cabin, with a cop. And not just some cop, a strong and overly attractive cop. It couldn't have been on purpose, there was no way. She felt her hair and realized it was sweaty and her body smelled. Not to mention she looked like a walking bruise right now. She didn't know what was worse, the fact that she looked horrible or that it wasn't an accident; he admitted to it.

She tried clearing her head and finally looked in the mirror to see her black eye was yellowing some, her bruises fading just to a dull light purple, and her hair a complete mess filled with sweat, dried blood, and knots.

She covered her face and groaned in sheer embarrassment before finally shedding her clothes carefully and walking into the shower. Under the hot water, she began to feel oddly calm and start breathing more clearly. She lathered herself in soap and shampoo while letting the hot water cover her bruises for a few moments and soothe her aching muscles.

She finally got out and covered herself in a towel before drying her damp hair and putting it up in a messy knot on top of her head. She felt a little better but as she heard the clanging of dishes in the kitchen, she suddenly remembered the incident that occurred within the last hour. She grumbled when she realized she had to walk out into the hall to change her clothes and pass him. But, she prayed, if he was in the kitchen, he may not see her. She had to take that chance while he was busy so she opened the door and peeked out for a second before rushing like a maniac to her room and slamming the door. She nearly collapsed into the door when irritation began to seep in. She narrowed her eyes and realized that she didn't have to walk on eggshells, she wasn't the one to blame, he was! She had done nothing wrong! And he had the audacity to make her feel like a fool?!

With a determined face she stormed out to the kitchen where he was buttering toast.

"Okay, listen up, Detective!" she growled angrily.

He turned to face her, a blank expression on his face.

"I am not the one who woke up with my arm around you! I didn't do anything wrong!"

He merely stared at her.

"You think just because I'm some frail girl you can tease me and make me feel like an idiot!"

He took a bite of toast and continued to listen.

"Well, I'm not an idiot and I'm not just some drunk party girl you can trick into thinking she magically made out with you and maybe wanted it, okay, I know better!" she pointed to herself dramatically, "But I will not let you stand there like some ass hole who can walk all over me, got it? And why aren't you talking to me? What on earth could be so funny to you about this situation?!"

He raised his eyebrows after taking another bite of toast, "Nothing, just hoping for something to drop."

She gawked at him, wondering what he was even talking about when it hit her. She looked down and remembered that all she had on was a towel that just barely covered her. She stood frozen as he walked towards her. She backed up into the wall and he put his arms up by her face, trapping her there, "You know your cheeks aren't the only thing that's pink." He grinned and leaned in closer.

Her breath hitched as he bent down and placed a kiss on her mouth. She was so confused she didn't even fight it. But also, it was the most amazing sensation she'd ever had. His hands cupped her face gently as he pulled her in for more and she finally opened her mouth to let his tongue in. Her hands instinctively went to his chest and felt how rock hard he was. She clutched the front of his shirt, wanting more.

He finally pulled away and released her. She stood there practically floating in wonder and confusion all at the same time. She knew her face had to be bright red and her breath heaving violently.

He smiled down at her, "Still think you maybe want it?" he teased before walking away.

She backed into the wall, feeling out of breath before turning, "I'm going to get dressed now." She stated.

"Bummer." He grumbled as he finished off his piece of toast.

She slammed the door in retaliation.

The minute he heard the door shut he had to take a breath himself. Holy hell, he hadn't meant to wake up with his arm around her let alone just make out with her. He wanted to just mess with her a little but damn if her lips weren't calling his name and just imagining what was under that towel made his jeans tight. He gripped the sinks edge and collected himself. He knew he had a job to do, he knew his priorities. He'd never let a case victim crawl under his skin this much. It had to be cabin fever or going months without any human contact with a woman, or maybe just wanting to pass the time.

Or maybe…his brain thought.

He shook his head and turned to see her come out of the room wearing some black yoga pants and a loose-fitting pink shirt over a tight white tank top. Her hair was combed, and he couldn't believe she could get any hotter than she already was.

She had a look of determination on her face as she walked up to him, "I need to ask you something." She stated.

"Hell yes." He answered in a breathless voice before letting her finish.

She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head, "Uh, I was actually asking if you would teach me how to use a gun."

Damn it! He thought to himself before answering, "Sure why not."

She perked up a little at that, "Really? You don't need to like get approval or anything?"

"Pink cheeks, we're in the middle of nowhere and I make my own rules." He scoffed as he poured some coffee, "Besides, I'd rather you know what you're doing and cover my ass when I need you to."

She nodded, "Thank you!"

He handed her a mug of coffee before leaning against the counter and taking a sip out of his mug, "So you're going to pretend that didn't just happen I take it?"

She avoided eye contact and nodded, "Yep."

"Smart." He chuckled, "But I do have one more question."

She turned to him.

He suddenly held up the romance novel she'd read the day before, "Should I try another tactic?"

She nearly threw her coffee cup at him.

….

They'd scrounged up some old cans in the panic room and he dragged a duffel bag that she now realized was full of guns and other equipment. They wandered a ways and she had to admit it was a beautiful day and the woods were gorgeous. When they found a spot he handed her a pair of headphones and goggles. Before he gave her the gun however, he started with the basics, showing her how to load, unload, turn off the safety and so on.

She was a fast learner and he was glad she caught on pretty quick. He then showed her how to take aim and shoot by demonstrating. She covered her headphones instinctively and watched as he showed her. He then turned to her, "You think you can handle that?" he asked her as he handed her the gun.

She nodded as she took the gun and checked it first like he'd shown her and then stood firm and aimed. He came behind her and she felt his hands on first her hips, pivoting them to a certain degree, then down her legs to help with her stance and then back up towards her arms. She was nearly breathless and had to try and focus when he let her go, telling her to fire.

She shot it but ended up jumping nervously from the sudden sensation. She was glad he didn't berate her for it and instead gave her a new mission, "Remember, you're not shooting cans," he told her, firmly, "You're shooting the ass holes that did this to you."

That gave her a new resolve as she shook herself off and then aimed, relaxing her stance and narrowed her eyes. She slowed her breathing, feeling her heart thud against her chest as the image of a pale man with clammy hands and red eyes came to mind. She heard the sickly sound of his voice as he picked each one of them to kill. Without another moment's hesitation, she fired five resounding shots and managed to hit all the cans off the log.

"Not bad." Bakugo commented as she lowered her arms and took off her headphones and goggles.

She took a breath and smiled to herself.

"You up for some sparring too?" he asked her.

She stared at him incredulously, "You would teach me how to fight?"

"Only if you can handle it." He shrugged as he took the gun from her, unloading it as she put the headphones and goggles in the bag. He then finished putting the gun away and eyed her.

She pondered it for a moment and decided that it was as good a time as any and nodded, "Yeah. I think I can."

He nodded, "Okay then, rule number one-" he said calmly before reaching out swiftly and grabbing her arm in a vice like grip, "Think fast."

The memory of that cold and clammy hand shoving her into that conference room and all those hands harming her flooded her mind again as he spun her towards him and wrapped both of his arms around her tightly, "Rule number two, act. And finally," he finished as he spread her legs apart with his legs, "Rule number three, show no mercy."

She panted and felt panicky very suddenly. Her vision clouded over and Bakugo's voice was becoming more distant as the sounds of laughter pounded her ear drums. She screamed but he didn't let go. Everything in her screamed to get out but she couldn't, he was too strong.

"Come on pink cheeks," she suddenly heard him say to her, "You're anything but frail."

Those words broke through all the panic and pain as she roared and kicked his shin with the heel of her foot and elbowed him in the stomach. He still had a hold of her though. She had to think and do it quickly. Without considering it, she jammed the back of her head into his face and he finally released her. She fell to the ground and coughed. When she turned to face him, he was holding his face in his hand and she was shocked to see blood coating the side of his face and onto his hand.

"Oh my God!" she screamed rushing to him, "I'm so sorry, I- "

"Dumb move, round face." He said in a low voice before diving to the ground and grabbing her leg.

"Bakugo, stop! I'm not kidding, you're bleeding!" she yelped.

"Fuck that, just keep fighting until you get me completely down!" he ordered her.

This guy was nuts!

"You can't assume anything when you're under attack." He instructed her, still clutching her ankle, "Now do everything you can to get away from me or kill me."

She panted again, feeling conflicted.

"Too slow." He said dangerously as he began to move up towards her. She knew what was coming, he was going to tackle her. She dodged him threw a kick to his face only for him to catch it and trip her up. He was now on top of her, holding her down like she weighed nothing.

His hands clutched her wrists and he hovered over her, staring down at her, "Lift your hips." He instructed.

"What?" she gasped.

"Lift your hips to make a space for your legs to do some damage."

She panted some more before he bent down, "Relax, I'm wearing a cup." He chuckled.

He could have told her that earlier, she thought with a huff as she lifted her hips and did what he told her to, finally turning around and breaking loose. She finally delivered a final kick to his face which released her, and she crawled away before finally getting up and running to the nearest tree.

She clutched her chest and turned to see he was up and checking his nose. She stayed back this time and waited.

"Oh yeah! The safe word is King Explosion Murder." He shouted.

She rolled her eyes and finally plopped down to the ground where he came and sat down next to her, handing her a water bottle, "Not bad for your first spar."

"If my dad could just see me now." She sighed with a smile, "Not his little angel anymore."

Bakugo grinned and drank out of his water bottle.

"Is your nose okay?" she asked him.

He shrugged, "Not broken, just nicked it a little." He said, "But nice job." He used the water from his bottle to clean his hands of blood.

"I've never done that before." She admitted, "It's kind of a rush."

He couldn't keep from smiling at that and finally stood, holding out his hand to her, "You ready to head back, angel face?"

She stared up at him and finally smiled, taking his hand and allowing him to help her up.


	5. Carved

Chapter 5-Carved

***Trigger Warning: Violence

Midorya and Todoroki had already gone to the building that had had the fire, now they were back at the office building. The whole floor had been shut down, police tape covering the doors. There was still a lot of damage done from the initial explosion and blood coated the walls and ceilings of the conference room. Midorya took pictures while Todoroki examined the walls and ceilings for any hint of a clean getaway space.

When they'd finished there, they both separated and checked different floors to see if there were disturbances they missed. Todoroki suddenly called Midorya on the walkie talkie alerting to find him in the other stair well near the back of the building. Midorya rushed over and found Todoroki near a maintenance closet closer to the back of the building, but off to the side and out of the way of foot traffic.

"What is it?" Midorya asked him.

Todoroki put on gloves and threw a pair to Midorya who put them on and then shone a flashlight into the dark and cramped space. At first there was nothing obvious, a broom, mop and other essential cleaning tools, but then, Todoroki picked up something that didn't belong, an adult's black hoodie. Todoroki found his UV flashlight and shone it on the black cloth to discover it splattered with what they could only assume was blood.

Midorya took out a bag and put it in for evidence.

"Who cleared this area?" he asked Todoroki who continued to dig through the closet for any more clues.

"I'm not sure, but we need to figure out who did and why they didn't even notice five criminals removing bloody jackets and exiting." Todoroki muttered.

"The eighth floor…" Midorya muttered as he did the math, "By the time they hung that banner, they had to run towards the back stairway and down here to change, and it couldn't have been civilian clothes."

"It was police uniforms." Todoroki agreed.

"Which begs the question," Midorya answered, "how did one officer manage to smuggle them out so easily?"

Todoroki and he exchanged a look as they realized an even darker truth, "We're not just dealing with a mole." Todoroki said, his face growing pale, "It's an organization."

Midorya immediately contacted Iida to tell him and both rushed to their car.

Iida was already feeling on edge by the time they returned. Knowing now that it wasn't just one dirty cop they were dealing with he knew, they were in more trouble than they realized, "Grab as much evidence on this as you can, do it inconspicuously and then go home to pack some things."

"You really think it's that bad?" Kirishima said, getting his phone out to alert Bakugo.

"I think we all need to head to the Rendezvous Point and escape before any evidence is tampered with further or one of us gets caught up in this."

They all nodded, and he gave a firm look to Kirishima, "Alert Bakugo, he needs to get out of there with Uraraka and fast. If they've already discovered their location by now, they could very well be on their way."

"But, won't they know where our safe house is?" Midorya asked his captain.

Iida shook his head with a smiled, "No, only you four know about this place, I told you it was a last resort safe house but it's not in any of our databases."

"Damn, this is getting pretty serious." Midorya muttered nervously.

"Act normal and gather what you can without being noticed." Iida continued, "Assume you can't trust anyone here, understood?"

They all nodded and headed out.

"Wait, Kirishima!" Midorya called, "We know where they exited from. If they haven't destroyed any evidence by now, look for anything that can pinpoint who was at the back stairwell near the maintenance closet and blocking that exit specifically."

Kirishima nodded but first, he called Bakugo.

"What is it now, shitty hair." He heard the gruff voice on the other end of the line. He felt thankful that at least he sounded fine, so he had a chance to escape with Uraraka, "Bakugo, we've been compromised here, take Uraraka and get her to Rendezvous Point now."

Bakugo muttered an expletive before hanging up. Kirishima rushed to his computer and began putting files inconspicuously on a flash drive. He then pulled up some archives to see if there was photo evidence or at least surveillance of that stairwell Midorya told him about. Just as he suspected, it was as if that stairwell didn't exist. He then opened some other files and emails and realized that some of the officers were putting out information about Uraraka. His eyes widened when he saw pictures of her face, read her home address, her parents address, her phone numbers, and what hospital she had been at. His stomach dropped when he read the address of the safe house she'd been taken to and who she was with; Bakugo.

He finished at his desk, mumbling in irritation at how slow it was to download everything. He grabbed his flash drive and files before grabbing his coat and rushing out the door. Once in the car he alerted everyone.

…

Bakugo had just finished his shower when his phone rang. He picked it up and grumbled in annoyance, it was probably just the captain or Kirishima asking how Uraraka was. Hell, he's the one with a slightly busted nose doing karate with her in the woods but he couldn't stop the smile forming as he remembered that afternoon.

He was about to ask what the hell they wanted when he heard the fear in Kirishima's voice and knew it was serious, "Bakugo, we've been compromised here, take Uraraka and get her to Rendezvous Point now."

Bakugo hung up after muttering an expletive and threw on his jeans, shoes, and grabbed a clean black t-shirt. He holstered his guns and grabbed his duffel before rushing out to see Uraraka sitting calmly at the table and snacking on some pretzels.

"Bad news, pink cheeks, we need to bounce and fast." He ordered gruffly, going to the cupboards and shoving some snacks and water bottles in his duffel.

She stared incredulously at him, "What?!"

"Get your jacket and shoes on and hurry, we need to leave now." He explained as calmly as he could as she rushed to find her black jacket and tennis shoes. She came back in seconds and he'd already donned a black jacket as well and began loading some guns. He turned and handed one to her, "I don't feel the greatest having to give this to you, but I'd rather you have something in case."

"In case what?" she swallowed, taking the gun nervously.

"Just stay close to me and we won't have any problems okay?" he explained, patting her head softly, "Hey, look at me." He ordered, taking on a calmer tone and giving her a soft look, "Don't think, act, and show no mercy." He reminded her before turning and shouldering his bag.

She followed him closely and grew tense when he took his gun from his holster and opened the door carefully before looking outside, "Damn it's dark." He whispered.

She kept her gun to the ground much like he did in that moment but watched his every move and kept her ears pricked for any sounds. He grabbed a small flashlight from his jacket pocket and shone it around, "Stay here and stay low." He ordered as he walked slowly out and shone his light to see if there was any sign of trouble. It was deathly quiet, and the car still sat where he left it. He didn't hear or see anything out of the ordinary, but even he knew that wasn't always a good sign.

He saw her looking carefully behind the doorway and motioned with his head to follow him to the car. She kept up but her head would dart in many different directions as well. He started to open the trunk when his phone rang.

"Shit!" he muttered, dropping the duffel and grabbing her arm to stand close to him, "What is it now?" he hissed.

"Bakugo, they're coming!" Kirishima shouted on the other end, "They have your pictures, both you and hers, they have your location, they could already be there for all we know."

"Fuck me." Bakugo groaned angrily. He then shined a light towards the car when something caught his eye, "Kirishima," he stated bluntly, "They're here."

He hung up and grabbed Uraraka away from the car and towards the woods. Both found some foliage to hide behind and she finally asked him, "Why can't we get in the car?"

He gave her a dark look, "Tires are busted."

"Oh my god." She breathed nervously.

"Ochako!" a high-pitched voice called out in the darkness, "Ochako!"

It was eerie, like something out of a horror movie. Uraraka froze and trembled when she recognized the voice, the one that told her friend they were killing them for fun, who laughed with glee every time a body part was dismembered, "It's her." She breathed, wanting to vomit, knowing she was feet from this person.

"Ochako!" the girl continued, "I just want to play some more! We never finished!"

Uraraka held her hand to her mouth, trying to hold back her sobs and nausea.

"Remember when I sliced your chest?" she giggled loudly, "You know I carved a really nice picture!"

Uraraka was shocked. She knew she'd been cut up, but she hadn't noticed an actual carving on her chest. No one had mentioned it and was more focused on her ribs.

"Have you seen it yet?" she asked, getting closer to them in the dark, "I made it special for you."

Uraraka shook and suddenly felt Bakugo's hand grip her upper arm, "Don't listen to her." He whispered in her ear, "She wants you to react, don't give in to her."

"Let's see," the girl said while bouncing around in the dark, "I drew a bunny on your one friend, and a little sun on another one, and a flower on another guy! But yours was my favorite."

This bitch was starting to piss Bakugo off and he was trying to figure out where she was without making his presence known. He knew they had to have seen them, and this girl didn't come alone.

They both startled when a fire erupted by the cabin. Bakugo then noticed at least three figures in front of the cabin and coming towards the car.

"Detective?" a male voice finally called, "You might as well just give up now."

He grimaced, realizing that the ass hole calling to him was a cop.

"Just give us the girl, we'll make it quick."

"Face it," Another male yelled, "Cabins on fire, cars busted, nowhere to run to for miles. No one to reach you in time."

Bakugo clutched onto Uraraka and backed with her into the woods. With the fire roaring it was at least giving them some slight sound cover.

One of the figures shone a flashlight around and he quickly dragged her behind a tree before it could land on them.

He could tell she was close to panicking but kept his cool, "Okay, pink cheeks, here's what's happening." He whispered to her, "I'm going to get the drop on them. You run that direction," he pointed north of them, "and you run like hell and stay hidden. Don't come back for any reason, got it?"

"I can't leave you alone!" she panted, shaking her head.

"Hey, I'll catch up to you," he smiled encouragingly, "besides, you already agreed to do what I say without question before all of this remember?"

She nodded but stood frozen.

"I'm going to buy you some time, you just start running and don't stop till you see a road or unless you need to duck and hide. Use this if you have to." He told her, pointing to the gun she clutched in her hand.

He put a hand on her shoulder and shook her a little, "On my mark."

She turned to face north, feeling stiff and unsure how to breathe. Not even when she ran marathons did, she get this feeling or surge of anxiety before a start. She waited, her vision starting to cloud in the darkness.

"Ochako! Did you figure out what I carved on you?" the female called again.

Uraraka's eyes stared into the ground but before she could even think, she was shoved forward and Bakugo shot his gun from the other side of the tree, "Your voice is annoying whore!" he roared.

Uraraka took off she didn't even know what possessed her legs to even run, whether it was the gun shot or the shove he gave her, she just heard his orders to her and ran. She knew she was crying, could hardly breathe, let alone see through the dark and yet her tunnel vision was clearer than day, just keep going north. She had let her friends down, had done nothing to help them, but she wouldn't let Bakugo down. He would find her; she knew he would; he had to.

She couldn't tell if she'd run for miles or just minutes as the sound of gunshots rang in the air, making the woods even scarier. She felt her chest burning and could hear the wheezing in her breath. She was feeling strong, adrenaline pumping through her now as she kept going until she tripped on a low branch and fell with a yelp.

She hissed and grabbed her ankle that had obviously gotten twisted in the fall, but she couldn't stay out in the open, so she found the nearest tree to hide behind and catch her breath, whatever she had left at least.

She jumped when a twig snapped nearby, and she waited with bated breath to see if it was friend or foe.

"Ochako?" That horrible girl was singing, actually singing, her name and she was even closer this time, "Why are you running away? I thought we were friends."

Uraraka held her hand to her mouth to keep from breathing loudly and realized she'd lost the gun in the fall and was now completely defenseless. The footsteps grew closer and she was in no way prepared to run, let alone stay hidden for long. She didn't know how this girl had managed to follow her, but the way she walked and spoke shook her to her very core. This was someone who hurt people because it was fun to her, this was someone with no conscience and no regard for human life. And the minute she found Uraraka, she knew she would finish what she started.

Uraraka wanted to cry, she knew this was it. But Bakugo's voice came through the panic; he was telling her she wasn't frail, that she took a beating and survived. She took him down just hours, ago didn't she.

She looked around her with a new resolve and found some rocks, she grabbed the nearest one and chucked it quickly off to her left before going stock still once more.

The girl giggled maniacally and practically skipped in that direction. Uraraka finally let out a ragged breath and began to stand up. It hurt but she had to keep moving, it wouldn't take long for that girl to come back and find her and without a gun she was helpless. She positioned herself to get ready to sprint again.

Before she could even start, she felt a hand cover her mouth and back her into the tree and she nearly screamed when she heard him shushing her and recognized his voice. She heaved a sigh of relief behind his hand before he took it away. He looked worse for wear, like he too had been sprinting like crazy, but was here and alive. She couldn't keep herself from wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug. He kept one hand on his gun while wrapping another arm around her as well, "Can you move?" he asked her quietly.

"I think so." She choked out.

"We might be able to make a break for the road, just keep up, okay?" he whispered.

She nodded as she released him, and he quickly shouldered his duffel and grabbed her hand to lead her towards the road. She was glad he seemed to know where he was going in the dark.

They hardly made it a few steps when a twig snapped behind him and he turned with quick reflexes, shoving her to the ground in one swift move. She yelped when she hit the ground and looked up to see the girl standing there with a big smile on her face. Bakugo grunted and she turned to see he was holding his left shoulder and she realized why as the moonlight reflected off the metallic object lodged there.

In seconds, the girl was advancing on Uraraka and giggling, holding a small knife, "Are we ready to finish our little painting?" she asked her with glee. The look of madness in this girls' eyes was unpalpable and Uraraka could barely move. Bakugo had been forced back towards a tree and was already trying to pry the knife away as the girl landed on top of Uraraka.

Uraraka was reaching for anything she could find around her in the dark as the girl began to slash at her shirt and bandages. She squealed delightedly when she finished and Uraraka knew she was running out of time as the knife began to move towards her skin. She held in a choked sob as she squeezed her eyes. The girl tugged her hair and pointed the knife at her face, "Uh uh, you need to watch, remember?"

The girl then let out a screech of pain and dropped the knife. Uraraka turned to see that Bakugo had taken the knife out of his shoulder and had stabbed her in the back. He had his gun on her and the girl was trying frantically to get the knife out of her back with shouts of anger and pain. Uraraka grabbed the knife she had dropped and with one swift move, jammed it into the girl's neck with a vicious snarl, "I'm ready to play now, bitch."

The girl fell off her but Uraraka was not done as she jammed the knife in and out of the girl's chest, roaring like hellfire. She couldn't seem to stop herself until she was dragged off the now cut up body and the knife taken from her hand and tossed away.

"You got her kid, come on." Bakugo grunted. She fought him, trying her hardest to break free from his grip. She wanted to keep stabbing this girl, she wanted her to keep feeling pain. She wanted her to suffer for what she did to her friends. This girl had taken part in ruining her life and so many others. Tears flooded into her eyes as their faces dying and bleeding flashed through her memory.

"That's enough!" Bakugo yelled at her, finally throwing towards a tree and pinning her there, "You got her, she's gone, it's okay now."

"No!" she screamed, "She killed them and thought it was fun!"

She tried breaking free again, but he held her firm, "Listen to me angel face." He ordered, "It's over now."

She finally took a breath; his voice, the name he called her, it finally sinking in as she began to relax against his hold. He released her and she stared at the girl, now dead and bloodied just like her friends, lying there in a heap. She then looked at her blood-stained hands as what she had done came to her realization.

"You did one hell of a job on her, but we aren't clear just yet." He said, clutching her shoulders, "There's still two dirty cops hot on our trail and if we don't get out of here soon, we're done for."

She finally took some breaths and realized that he was right. She could ponder her actions later, but right now, both were wounded and needed to get out before they were killed. He went to his duffel bag and removed two more guns and loaded them. He handed her one and she took it with shaking hands while he shouldered his bag and grunted against the pain in his shoulder.

"We still have a bit to go, so try to keep up and stay with me, got it?" he said firmly as he took her hand again. She nodded and kept the bile from rising in her throat. She felt ready to drop at any minute, but he kept up the pace and she had to wonder how he did it but didn't wonder for long as the trees started to clear, and the trail became smoother. He finally paused when they hit the road and he turned to her, "We need to find a car and get to the rendezvous point." He explained the plan, "Hopefully those two idiots are chasing on foot so we can at least use the road."

"What's that?" she asked him.

"What?" he asked her back.

"The Rendezvous House?"

"Another safe house." He explained as he took out his phone, his eyes half focused on the task at hand, keeping an eye out for any movement, and her.

He froze when he heard car tires squealing and they saw lights headed in their direction. At first, he prayed it was someone safe but was answered quickly when gunshots began to ring around them, and he quickly backed her into the woods behind a tree.

"Shit!" he grunted as he held a hand on her to keep her down while taking shots at the car from behind the tree. The car was fast approaching and stopped violently ahead, and he knew they either had to run or keep shooting. He looked down at her, determined to keep her safe at all costs necessary as the doors opened and the two men got out and kept firing in their direction. He was outnumbered and if he couldn't protect her, she was doomed. But he was ready to do whatever he had to do and would do it without hesitation.

He almost took another shot when another set of tires squealed on the blacktop and a resounding thud was heard.

"Bakugo!" He heard the voice of Todoroki yell, "Get in!"

Bakugo looked out to see that Todoroki had slammed his car into the guys, knocking them out and scattering them. He grabbed Uraraka and his bag while running quickly to the car, "Bout time you damn bastard!" he yelled as he continued to shield her.

He shoved her into the car quickly, diving in himself before slamming the door shut, "Drive!" he ordered.

Todoroki didn't hesitate and took off with lightning speed.

God, that was close. Bakugo thought to himself, feeling out of breath.

"Are you both okay?" Todoroki asked, keeping his eyes ahead.

"I'll probably need some stitches on this shoulder but I'm good." He answered before looking over at Uraraka who was hunched over in the seat, "Pink cheeks, you okay?"

She stared at the ground, hardly breathing and put a hand to her mouth, and he knew she was finally at her breaking point.

"Hey, angel face, talk to me." Bakugo said, putting a hand on her back. She released a heavy sob and he brought her closer to him. She buried her face in his chest and all he could do was hold her close.

"Should I pull over?" Todoroki asked with concern.

"Just keep driving." Bakugo ordered, "I got this."

He looked down at her as she shook and clutched on to him for dear life. He rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes, "You did good, kid." He told her softly, "Real good."

She finally relaxed long enough to take longer breaths which relieved him and pulled away. He didn't want to let her go but knew he needed to check her for any injuries.

Her shirt was torn, and her bandages were gone which exposed her chest underneath the sports bra she wore. He noticed jagged marks and moved her shirt aside to see if she had been stabbed when his stomach plummeted.

She looked down as well and her breath hitched.

Bakugo felt his eyes burn red as he realized what he was looking at. That girl had carved something on Uraraka alright; seven stick figures and one face with no body. Across each body was a slash mark. That was what the girl meant when she said she hadn't finished it. She was going to carve Uraraka and then mark her figure.

"Damnit." Bakugo muttered when Uraraka finally looked up at him with wide eyes and a ghostly face. She began to tilt a little and he caught her, "Angel face?" he shook her gently.

She finally collapsed and he brought her to him while checking her pulse, thanking God she was still alive but obviously out cold.

"What happened?" Todoroki asked, "Is she okay?"

"Passed out." Bakugo muttered, "Hurry up and get there, I don't feel like telling my story five million times and I'm ready to get this night over with."

Todoroki merely nodded and continued. They had a way to go, but for now, they could rest easy. All of them had barely managed to get away. Todoroki was the first to head for Bakugo while Kirishima gave him coordinates and information along the way. It was when Bakugo sent his location with no message that he knew he needed to get there and be ready for anything. He was glad he had made it in time; he didn't want to imagine what would have happened if he got there minutes too late.

He gripped the steering wheel and sped up, prepared for the long drive. He was ready to end this nightmare as well.


	6. Pictures

Chapter 6-Pictures

***Trigger Warning: Sex and mentions of violence

Uraraka groaned as she awoke. She felt slight rocking and remembered that she was in a car. It was still dark outside but could see splashes of streetlights go by illuminating the interior.

She felt a hand on her head and knew it was Bakugo. She welcomed the touch, feeling both safe and calmed by it. She closed her eyes for a moment to savor the feeling in the silence of the car.

Neither he nor Todoroki spoke but were wide awake. Todoroki merely focused on driving as Bakugo stared out the window thoughtfully, keeping his hand on Uraraka's head and nonchalantly rubbing his thumb in her hair. He'd covered her with his jacket and let her head rest in his lap, knowing tonight had to be incredibly stressful for her after everything she'd already been through. He didn't doubt that she was strong, but she wasn't a cop and she had never been through anything quite like this before.

He felt her trembling a little under his hand and continued stroking her head calmly as he watched roads go by in blurs of light. After a while, long roads became dusted with houses and cars, the streets getting shorter and more lit up.

"We're here." Todoroki cut through the silence as he turned down a narrow road.

He felt Uraraka stir and knew she was awake and watched as she managed to sit up and groan weakly, clutching her chest. He allowed his hand to fall and she turned to look out the window at the passing houses.

She took notice of how big they were, with nice cars parked and some with boats in the driveway. She had no clue where they were, but it had to be a rich area. What struck her as odd was that it was almost suburban looking. She had never been in let alone seen a neighborhood like this up close.

Todoroki finally pulled into a driveway that was just as big as the other houses. It was wooden and tall, with a boat parked next to it. She noticed a few other cars but considering the neighborhood they were in, she wasn't surprised.

"Damn, I knew he had a nice vacation house, but this is just plain obnoxious." Bakugo snorted as they started to get out.

He assisted in getting her out, keeping a firm hold of her hand. She turned to look around and paused when she heard something, "Is that…" she breathed, taking a whiff, smelling salty air, "Are we near the ocean?"

"Captain's family owns this place." Bakugo explained as he grabbed his duffel bag and shut the door, "It sits near the beach, a real touristy place."

"I've never seen the ocean." She admitted, wishing it were lighter out so she could really see it.

"Seriously?" he glanced at her as he led her behind Todoroki towards the front door of the place.

"No, we always wanted to go but could never afford it." She explained, "It's incredible to be so close to it."

Todoroki opened the door and announced that they were there. They squeezed into a tiny hallway and he locked the door behind them. Bakugo led her up the stairs dead ahead and when they got to the top, she was shocked to see how open the living space was. It had multiple windows on almost all the walls, filled with nice art, comfortable looking couches, a full kitchen complete with an island and dining table and off to another side, a pool table and large TV. It was a summer home for the elite.

"Bakugo!" Kirishima called, coming over and giving Bakugo a quick handshake and hug.

"Hey Shitty Hair." Bakugo grunted, "Thanks for the warning."

"Wish I'd caught it sooner; I was just glad Todoroki was already on his way." Kirishima added then looked at his bloody shoulder, "Man, you need to get that looked at."

"Deku can fix it," Bakugo explained as he led Uraraka deeper inside, "He's better at stitching than you are."

Kirishima ignored him and moved towards Uraraka, "Hey, you feeling alright? Can we get you anything?"

She didn't even know what to ask for as Bakugo finally made his way to the kitchen where Todoroki was rummaging through the cabinets, "I found a first aid kit." He stated.

"Check pink cheeks first." Bakugo said. Uraraka was seated at the table with them. She merely shook her head, "I'm fine."

Kirishima got her a bottled water anyways and then took a seat across from them as Todoroki went to work cleaning the shoulder wound on Bakugo who'd lifted his sleeve. Uraraka felt a pang of guilt on seeing the deep stab wound. He must have sensed her watching him as he looked up and gave her a cheeky grin, "I've had worse." He explained, hardly wincing as Todoroki cleaned off the blood and held gauze to it.

"He really has." Kirishima added with a grin at Bakugo.

They all turned as they heard footsteps coming up the stairs and both Iida and Midorya came up carrying some boxes.

"Finally, can you just stitch me up real fast, nerd?" Bakugo shouted to Midorya, "Icy Hot will fuck it up!"

Midorya came over and Todoroki rolled his eyes as he moved the gauze for Midorya to see.

"Oh man, how'd this happen?" Midorya asked as he checked the first aid kit to find some needle and thread.

"Crazy chick with a knife fetish." Bakugo grunted as Iida took some beers out of the fridge and handed on to him. Bakugo took it gratefully as Midorya went to work quickly.

Midorya was what they sometimes nicknamed the nurse on their team. Due to his constant breaking bones or getting injured in some horrible way he tended to fix himself up a lot so they trusted his ability to patch them up to when they needed it, or a hospital couldn't be found quick enough.

Iida handed beers to Todoroki and Kirishima as well and then sat down by Uraraka, "I'm so glad you both are okay." He told them, "Please make yourself comfortable here."

"Where are we?" she asked him.

"We're in a retreat neighborhood on the beach, but don't worry, no one knows about this place but us." He explained.

"Does anybody want to catch me up to speed on why two cops and a psychopath set the cabin on fire and busted the car?" Bakugo cut in after taking a swig of beer. Uraraka was shocked as she watched him hardly make a peep or move a muscle as Midorya kept stitching him up. For all the world it might look as if he was just getting a tattoo.

Iida began explaining their findings, recounting the discovery that not only were five murderers involved but more people on the outside that included cops.

"Great, so we have dirty cops, a bunch of lunatics, and a city that's gone to shit." Bakugo surmised.

Midorya nodded as he finally finished stitching him up, covering the spot with a bandage.

"We brought as much as we could," Todoroki said as he put some files on the table, "But the biggest piece that was missing was you, Uraraka."

"Me?" she gasped, staring up at him.

He nodded, "You did give us a lot of information that helped get this started, but now it's much bigger, and you are the only living witness."

"Think about it," Midorya told her as he finally reached for his own beer, "You were the last one they tried to kill. You probably saw and heard a lot of things that might make sense now."

"None of it made sense." She argued, "They laughed the entire time while they dismembered my friends and that…that girl was carving pictures on everyone!"

"We understand it was a lot, but, if we look into some more details you might have caught, it may lead us to understand more." Iida explained calmly.

"We're going to catch these guys." Midorya promised, "All of them."

"Four of them now." Bakugo stated.

They all stared at him and he took a swig of beer, "That creepy chick got what was coming to her before Todoroki arrived."

"Seriously man?" Kirishima asked, "I mean I don't blame you for keeping Uraraka and yourself safe but- "

"It was me." Uraraka stated, "Bakugo distracted her and I was able to finish her off." She admitted, "I'm not proud of it but- "

"She was a psychopath!" Bakugo explained to her, "And trust me, she wouldn't have hesitated to kill you. In my opinion, she got what she deserved."

"Okay, so now it's just four males and a ton of cops." Todoroki sighed, rubbing his head.

"It could be more than just cops too." Iida stated, "I did some more digging and I think I know what started this whole thing." He placed an advertisement for voting season and noticed that there were two competitors for police chief, Chief Yagi Toshinori and another, Captain One. Everyone knew that both parties had a lot of animosity over the years; you couldn't go anywhere without someone bringing it up or hearing about their debates and differences in the news. Chief Yagi was loved and adored by the citizens for his ability to keep calm and bring down criminals so swiftly. Whereas One seemed to always try dragging Yagi's name through the mud, finding some scandal when he could to try and beat him. People knew politics could get dirty, but One liked to play underhandedly dirty and it spelled danger to those who knew him well.

"I think the Captain is trying to turn the city upside down to make Chief Yagi look bad." Iida said, "Which means politicians and other city workers could be involved as well."

"How do you know for sure this is what it is?" Todoroki asked.

"Because I found out who was stationed at the back of the building where you found that sweater." Iida sighed, "It was Captain One's unit. They were the only ones to give some conflicting statements about that area."

"So," Uraraka cut in, "You're telling me that my friends were butchered because this creep wants to be a police chief?!"

"I'm afraid so." Iida said sadly.

Bakugo took another swig of beer and shook his head, "What a fucked-up world this is."

"I'm sorry, I- "Uraraka stammered, "Those people had families, they didn't deserve to die, especially not like that."

Midorya nodded and smiled sympathetically at her, "We know, trust me. But we're going to take them all down. This is your chance to give them justice."

"I hate to agree with him, but the nerd has a point." Bakugo said, "You got out alive, you messed up their whole plan. They're going to screw up one way or another knowing that, and your testimony will really kick them in the nuts. Hell, you already took down that psycho chick."

She put her head in her hands and sighed, "I know, I just don't know what more I can tell you or do."

"Listen, it's late," Kirishima stated, "We've been at this all day and Bakugo and Uraraka look beat, let's do this tomorrow."

At first, Todoroki and Midorya made to argue but the captain cut in, "He's right, we all need rest, we're safe here and tomorrow we can get to work."

"No complaints here." Bakugo sighed as he got up and stretched.

Midorya came over to her then, "Here, I'll show you where you'll stay." He smiled, leading her down a hallway. He turned to her as they reached a door, "You'll have your own bathroom and I made sure to bring you a change of clothes."

The thought of a nice hot shower to remove the blood off her hands and changing out of the cut up shirt was so welcoming to her that she nearly missed him opening the door and turning on the lights to reveal a very large bedroom with a queen sized bed and very ornate furniture.

"Holy- "she gasped, "Is this a mansion?"

He laughed and shook his head, "Feels like it, I know. But seriously, let us know if you need anything, alright?"

She nodded and was relieved when he shut the door. She walked in and looked around in awe. She went to the window but was sad to see it faced another house and not the ocean. She turned and noticed a large mirror and decided to finally have a look at herself. She removed her shoes and jacket before standing and staring sadly at her bruised body, the nasty carving on her chest, the almost emaciated look on her face. Her skin was becoming an odd shade of purple from the bruising and the bags under her eyes were prominent now. She gingerly touched her purple eye and began to work her way down as each flash of pain came back in gory detail. Being hit with a bat, carved like a turkey, burned with a blowtorch, stabs in her back, and amidst it all, laughing. Maniacal laughing.

She finally peeled her eyes away and walked to the bathroom, shedding the last of her clothes and eager to scrub herself off.

As the hot water cascaded over her, instant warmth filled her to her core and the sound of the water seemed to calm her nerves. She finally managed to hum a little like she used to, trying to keep calm and avoid thinking about the past few days and allowing herself to imagine being in front of a beach, in the daytime as the sun shone on her face. She seemed to feel instantly better and finished up, grabbing a towel to dry herself off.

Wrapping the towel around herself and putting her damp hair up in a messy bun she opened the door and nearly shrieked.

Bakugo was sitting on her bed as if waiting for something, "Took you long enough, mine doesn't work so I'm borrowing yours." He said quickly as he got up and walked past her.

She stood there in confusion for a moment wondering how a place like this could have a broken shower but decided to just get dressed and ask him later. She went to a dresser and saw a small bag with some clothes and took out a long royal blue t-shirt that had her sorority letters on it and some grey shorts she would wear when she ran or went to the gym. She was extremely pleased to find clean underwear too.

She went to the bed and sat on it, her old t-shirt starting to hang off her shoulder a bit as she stared at the floor. She was so exhausted and yet she dreaded trying to fall asleep.

Bakugo didn't take long as he walked out with damp hair and a towel around his waist. He paused when he saw her and for a moment, she couldn't tell what he was thinking but at this point she never really could. She herself had to keep from staring for the first time at his exposed chest that was ripped with muscles she didn't know a male could even achieve.

"You okay, cheeks?" he asked her.

She shrugged and nodded, quickly turning away.

"Want to throw me those shorts?" he asked her, pointing to the end of the bed.

She turned to see he'd brought his duffel bag and had put a pair of black gym shorts on the bed. She grabbed them and tossed them his way and he caught it easily before shutting the door again. He was out in seconds and although wearing shorts, he was still shirtless, and she could feel her cheeks starting to burn as he walked by her. She assumed he was going to his room when he turned to her, "You want right or left side?" he asked her.

She stared up at him wondering what he was talking about when it hit her, "Don't you have a room?" she asked suspiciously.

He shrugged, "This one's better."

He had obviously decided to take the side closest to the hall door and sat down as he zipped up his duffle bag.

"Is this…a good idea?" she asked nervously, "Your team might- "

"They can think what they want, cheeks, I'm staying in here." He said quickly and then stared at her, "But if you want me to leave, I can- "

"No!" she said, astounded at how firm her voice became, "It's fine." It was just the thought that he would be far from her, leaving her alone, didn't seem right to her. And besides, she'd woken up on the couch with him just that morning and nothing really happened. She could share a bed with another male and not make a scene. She finally crawled into bed as he turned off the lights and both got settled. At first, she stared up at the ceiling but hated it, so she turned her head to see he was looking at her in the dark, turned to his side.

"How you holding up, cheeks?" he asked her quietly.

She was quiet for a while but shook her head, looking back at the ceiling, "I'm fine."

"Bullshit." He sighed, reaching out and wrapping his sinewy arm around her middle. She felt him pull a little and he scooted closer to her. She turned to her side to face him now and realized they were so close she could feel his breath when he spoke, could see him clearly.

He continued as he looked at her, "You straight up stabbed the woman who hurt you and killed your friends. I know better than anyone that can mess you up."

Why wasn't she pushing him away? Why was she suddenly resting her hand near his chest? Why was she feeling so incredibly safe and warm right now? And why did it hurt so much to know she'd killed someone even if it was self-defense. Hell, she had wanted that bitch dead and here she was feeling sorry about it.

She finally found her voice, "It doesn't matter anymore, does it? I can't bring them back and I can't change what I did."

He was watching her, and she couldn't look away as she felt a tear fall down her cheek, "I just really want all of it to go away."

"Me too." He admitted, wiping her cheek with his thumb, his hand holding her face softly.

"Bakugo," she asked, "do you ever get scared to sleep alone?"

"No," he said, "I get nervous when someone I care about is in trouble."

"You care about me?" she asked.

"No shit sherlock, hell yeah I do." He said firmly, "You think I'm in here just for shits and giggles?"

"No," she tensed, "The uh, female in me, thought you were in here for another reason." She admitted with an apologetic smile.

"Relax angel face, I don't play that way." He explained, "The idea of doing something to a girl who doesn't want it just turns me off."

"Well…" she swallowed and decided to just throw caution to the wind, "What if they do want it?"

"Is that what you want?" he asked her calmly as he raised his eyebrows at her.

She thought about it for a moment, biting her lip. This man had saved her countless times in the past few days. He was here right now, he was warm, he was asking.

She looked him in the eyes and nodded, "Yeah, yeah I do."

He smiled at her in the dark and for a moment he didn't look like the heroic cop who was sworn to protect her, he was this genuine human being who wanted her. He pulled her closer and finally placed his lips over hers gently at first. She initiated immediately, opening her mouth for him and he finally let his tongue explore her. She instinctively reached for his face, pulling him closer, needing more, needing to feel something!

"Wait!" she stopped for a second, "I know you probably don't have a condom but, I am on birth control."

"I know you get the shot; I've read your file." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh." She breathed, "Okay."

"Okay." He smiled again and leaned in to kiss her a little more desperately this time, wrapping his arms around her tightly and pulling her so close she was touching his body and grew mad that her skin wasn't touching his. She wasn't mad for long when one of his hands began to feel up her shirt, exploring first her back, her hips, then up her chest. She moaned when his hand found her breast and massaged it carefully.

His hands were rough and calloused and yet they were so gentle as they stroked her. She wanted so much more and found she was exploring his body, all the ripples of muscle and softness of his skin.

He released her mouth and began to kiss down her neck and finally whispered to her, "If anything hurts, tell me, okay?"

"Just keep going." She breathed, craving more.

He smiled mischievously at that and finally moved up to lean over her, his hands bracing him next to her head. She kept her arms around him as if clutching him for dear life and was relieved when he leaned down to begin sucking at her neck and using his hand to stroke along the band of her shorts. She began to feel the dampness of his hair, scratching her nails softly on his tight back. She was almost ready to beg him to take off her shorts, but it seemed he read her mind as he pulled her shorts down, obviously taking care of the fact she was still injured. She wiggled, wanting them off her and was glad when she'd succeeded, and his hand first rubbed along her thigh and then moved up to what she was craving. She nearly shot her body up as his finger found her opening and began to rub her softly there. She moaned under him, digging her nails into his back and he captured her mouth with his once more, biting on her lip in the process.

She gasped into his mouth when his hand found her sensitive spot and he released her mouth to grin down at her and sit back to play with her. She watched, her hands moved to clutching the sheets as he rubbed her clit with his thumb and began to use his other fingers to enter her slowly. She clenched her jaw shut to hold back her moans as he moved them deeper into her.

God she was so sweet, and she responded well to him. He felt his shorts getting tighter but had to hold back for a little longer. He wasn't just going to fuck her and call it a day, hell no, they were both going to enjoy this.

Her breathing became more erratic and she started moving her hips to match his hand rhythm as he pushed and pulled his fingers in and out of her and continued to rub that spot that was making her crazy. He knew she was close as hot liquid came out in spurts and the minute, he curled his fingers, she tightened and gasped loudly as more of it began to coat his hand. He bit his lip and had to keep from just taking her right then and there as he played with her.

"Fuck you are so hot." He growled. He wanted to get her even hotter and quickened his pace, he was starting to notice she was shy when it came to noises she made and he moved her hand away, wrapping his fingers around her palm firmly when she tried to cover her mouth and leaned down, moving his hand faster and faster until he felt her walls tighten and knew she couldn't hold back anymore.

She gave him a pleading look before finally squeaking and clenching her jaw as she came all over his hands.

His heart raced and he couldn't keep himself from tasting her and damn it was amazing. She was like a mixture of caramel and honey combined and he loved it. She panted heavily and watched as he removed his shorts and leaned over her again. Her arms reached around his neck and he felt her fingers stroking the back of his head, practically soothing him. He found her eyes in the dark and didn't even need to ask as she willed him to finish what he started. He nodded and obliged as he found her opening. Biting his lip, he thrust into her carefully, watching her to be sure nothing hurt and feeling more and more motivated to continue as her moaning grew somewhat louder.

By the time he was all the way in, he claimed her mouth once more and held her tight as he began thrusting in and out of her. It was slow at first but as she began to move her hips with his he picked up the pace and released her mouth, lifting his head to watch as they moved together in sync. She let her head fall back in ecstasy for a moment and he bent down to suck on her neck, feeling himself get a little more primal as he quickened the pace, increasing his intensity. She too was becoming more wanton as she dug her nails into his back and gasped loudly with each thrust.

He panted; not sure he would last long. She felt so amazing, every inch of her and God, he swore he'd never seen anyone more beautiful in his life. She may be covered in bruises and scars, but he could see just how incredible she was as they locked eyes. She was embracing him tightly and every bit of doubt and fear either of them had was gone in this moment. Their bodies now sweating and craving more.

He knew he was close and so was she, so with a final move, he found her clit again and rubbed it, causing her to tense up, shoot her body up towards his and release herself. He rode it out and it wasn't long before he too was grunting in satisfaction, his own release filling her up completely. He finished and had to catch himself from falling onto her. They breathed heavily in the dark, not once looking away from one another, not once letting go. He bent down and kissed her deeply as he pulled out gently. His hand found her face and rubbed at her cheek. He fell to his side beside her and immediately pulled her close to him, his hands wrapped around her body and her hands resting up against his chest.

"God Damn you are beautiful." He whispered to her. Her face turned up to see him and she smiled. She had no clue what to say but he didn't need her to as she found his face and brought him back to her lips.

This was a man who was either sarcastic, loud, or angry, but right now, he was just holding her gently and telling her she was beautiful, and she knew he meant it. This woman was scarred and beaten and here she was holding on to him like a lifeline and both swore in that moment, nothing else mattered.

They both began to fall asleep; she did first as she nestled her head under his chin and he brushed strands of hair from her face with a smile, "You really are an angel." He breathed before finally succumbing to sleep.

…..

Uraraka woke up alone in bed but felt so incredible she didn't even care. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had sex like that, let alone sex at all. She sat up and stretched her aching body, looking around at the dimly lit room as bits of sunlight seeped from behind the curtains. She got up and walked to the bag of her clothes and almost dreaded having to put on pants but gave a small laugh of relief as she pulled out a light green sundress that reached her knees. It was perfect as she pulled on a white sports bra and panties, feeling grateful that all she now had to do was don a dress that modestly covered her cleavage and back. And then she saw the white knitted cardigan and felt even more relief. She finally felt like herself again amidst the spots of purple and red that stuck out on her appendages. She quickly brushed her teeth and let her auburn locks fall in waves down her face. For a second as she looked in the mirror, she didn't recall the gory details of the past few days, she just felt like she was back home, going out with friends after a long week of work. But the bruising on her eye brought back the pain and the memories. And then, there was Bakugo, standing out like a beacon of light to her and she smiled gratefully.

She walked out and heard male voices and walked to the kitchen. All of them were dressed casually in either jeans or cargo shorts, t-shirts or sweaters. Bakugo himself wore just jeans and a maroon V-neck sweater and she almost forgot they were cops as they joked while eating bagels and coffee.

Midorya was the first to notice her and he smiled, waving, "Hey Uraraka, we got bagels, help yourself!"

"Thank you!" she smiled gratefully, coming to the table, "And thank you for picking up my clothes!"

"No problem, I figured you'd want something more familiar." He said. She took a seat by Todoroki and Midorya who was now offering her coffee. She finally looked up to see Bakugo across the table, but he seemed intent at looking closely at his bagel in a bored manner.

She was grateful to eat something and just listen to the idle chatter around her. She would catch glimpses of Bakugo who merely stared at anything but her, grunting casually or sarcastically when others spoke. Was he avoiding her? Was he regretting sleeping with her last night? Was he not interested in her in that way anymore? She thought he would at least give her a quick smile or say something. And yet, she had to assume this would happen. It wasn't like they could just tell everyone that they had sex last night, they had her case to worry about and he was first and foremost a cop.

Although she felt a little dejected, she decided that this was to be expected, she had been through it a few times before with men and she would continue to deal with it. She would just have to suck it up and move forward.

She finished her bagel and finally excused herself to her room, needing to take a breather to be able to face him later. She closed the door, leaning on it and groaning inwardly at how stupid she had been, trying to take breaths and not cringe inwardly at herself.

She suddenly heard a knock and took a breath, assuming it was probably Midorya to check on her. She was shocked when she opened the door and Bakugo forced his way in and shut the door behind him quickly. She was about to ask what he was doing when she was slammed against the wall and his lips were on hers, kissing her desperately. She was so confused by his behavior that when he pulled from her that she could only stare at him with her mouth agape.

"Your fucking dress is way too hot." He told her in a grunt before taking her mouth with his again. She was still confused when he pulled away, his groin keeping her pinned to the wall and his hands around her waist possessively.

"I'm so confused right now." She admitted.

"Why?" he snorted.

"Why wouldn't you even look at me at the table? You didn't even say good morning." She pointed out.

"I never say good morning." He shrugged, "And I just told you, your dress is too damn hot." He said bluntly, "I was thinking of covering you with cream cheese and just eating you there on the table."

"Well, that's descriptive." She swallowed.

He smirked at that as she asked him, "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Keep having sex in private while still working on this case." He shrugged as his face came closer to hers, ready to kiss her but she stopped him.

"Wait, you want to keep having sex with me?" she asked.

"Wow, you really don't know how to read a room." He told her, "How many guys have you stood up before realizing they all want to nail you?"

She blushed and he had to laugh at how red she got. The minute she walked in wearing her dress he was about to grab her and forget all sense of reason while taking her then and there for all to see. He hated seeing how chummy she was with the others and really felt like marking his territory, but he knew better. What surprised him was how shocked she was that he liked her and would bang her every chance he got.

She sighed, "It's just, I figured you would rather want a one-night kind of thing, I mean, that's usually how it goes right?"

He rolled his eyes, "I told you I don't play that way."

"Well yeah but, come on," she argued, "Look at me, I'm a walking punching bag right now. Just some helpless victim with no sense right now, you really expect me to believe that you- "

He bent down and kissed her hard again, this time holding her face in his hands. He pushed his tongue in desperately and he felt her moan and relax against him, knowing she couldn't resist. She was clutching the front of his shirt and he wanted more than anything to have her up against the wall right now and fuck her senseless, but he knew this wasn't the time. Maybe later?

He broke from her and rubbed his thumbs along her cheeks, "Angel face, I already told you, you're fucking hot, you're not frail, so I'm not letting you go anywhere."

She wanted so desperately to believe him, but she knew, just like in all the romance books and movies, once this was over, it was over. She knew those endings in the stories were never meant to come true and neither would this. As much as she wanted him, and boy did she ever, she knew that the minute this was over, she would go back to her normal life as would he and they would never speak again.

But a part of her wanted so badly to just enjoy this, every sensation. It had to be enough for now and if she died tomorrow, well, at least she had an amazing lovemaking session with a very attractive cop. Not many fantasies could come true in one night, let alone two days so she considered herself lucky. She decided to just play along and enjoy the ride for now, "Okay." She nodded.

"Hey," He lifted her chin up to look at him, "I know you don't believe me but let's cross that bridge when we get to it." He said in a soft voice before shifting his gaze towards the door and then sighing, releasing her and relaxing his hold on her waist and groin area. He tried to tell the hard on he had to get lost as the next thing he had to ask her was not going to be pleasant, "I need to know if you can go in the other room and talk to us about what happened. Because if it's too much, we can hold off."

She instantly felt herself grow tense and he had to sense it; he was standing this close to her after all. She also looked to the door and he watched her and waited as she finally took a breath and nodded.

This was her only chance to do something to help her friends get justice, to help their families heal. She may not be a detective and she certainly wasn't an angel, but she would do what she could to see this through, even if it hurt.

She narrowed her eyes and looked up at him, "I'm ready."

….

She was grateful they all sat in the couches; window open to reveal a bright sun in the sky. She sat stock still in between Midorya and Bakugo while Kirishima sat in a chair hooking up his laptop while Todoroki and Iida sat across from them taking out some files. Deku was looking through his notepad and mumbling while Bakugo also got out the file he'd been working on at the cabin and she realized he had also been looking over some things and penciling in questions or comments.

She took a moment to just stare out the windows, wishing she could just go see the ocean and forget this had all happened.

Her leg began to shake nervously and Bakugo must have noticed as he put his hand on her knee real fast and squeezed before letting go. It didn't do much, but it did bring her back to the present as everyone looked ready.

"Okay," Iida stated and gave her a sad yet determined look past his glasses, "Uraraka I know this is going to be difficult and we normally wouldn't show you these pictures or give a victim this much information but we're hoping you can maybe shed more light on what you witnessed."

She nodded, "I understand."

Midorya got out a recorder and placed it on the table, "Ready."

She could feel them all staring at her as Todoroki started putting some pictures down. She tensed but then saw that they were just normal headshots of familiar faces, her coworkers. She wanted to cry seeing her friend, the one who sat near her, who would get drinks with her on Fridays. They looked so normal and happy, like none of the violence had occurred.

"Just start with that morning again and tell us as much as you can." Todoroki said.

She took a breath and recounted her project she worked on for months; proposing more blood drives in certain areas of the city and how to increase the volunteer rate of blood donations.

She then talked about going in early, prepping the conference room. It had been such a normal morning, sun shining, a great cup of coffee to start her day, and to top it off, she was ahead of schedule.

There was nothing out of the ordinary.

Then she heard the explosion. There was dust and debris in the office, and she couldn't see anything or anyone. Because she was one of the first in the office that morning and so fixated on what she was doing she hadn't really spoken to anyone, how awful was that?

She remembered hearing screaming along with the dust roaring and debris falling. That was when she felt the hand grab her arm and pull her into the conference room.

"You were the first one in there." Midorya commented, bringing her back to the present for a moment and she nodded, "Yeah. I was grabbed by someone wearing a hoodie and a gas mask. He shoved me against the wall and told me to wait."

And she did, watching in horror as more people were dragged in. Five hooded and masked criminals with guns and eight innocent office workers, all ordered to sit against the wall and keep their hands on their heads.

"I figured," she stated, feeling bile rise in her throat, "It was just a random hostage negotiation thing, for money or something dumb. But then they took off their masks."

"You saw them?" Kirishima confirmed, his eyes wide, "They showed their faces to you?"

She nodded, staring down, "That was when I knew what was going to happen to us. Well, I figured at least."

"Can you describe each one?" Todoroki asked.

She sighed and started with the girl, then the creepy pale man, the man with dark hair and scars, the man with white eyes and crazy looking blonde hair, then a burly man with a nasty scar over his eye and hair, much like Bakugo's. She hated comparing them in some way, but he didn't seem to take offense as he too wrote down descriptions she described.

"Then what happened?" Midorya asked her.

She swallowed down more bile, "They started picking."

She looked to find a picture and found him, "Jon was first." She said in a quavering voice, pointing to the picture of a middle-aged man who was working to support his daughter in college. His wife was an accountant for a bank. They were wonderful people.

Todoroki hesitated at first and gave her a look but then laid it down anyways. She looked at the picture of Jon, mangled and dead on the ground outside the building.

"Did you know he was thrown out the window?" Kirishima asked her.

She shook her head, "No, he just sorts of got left in the corner." Her lip trembled as she spoke.

"Tell them what you told me," Bakugo cut in, "About closing your eyes."

She nodded, swallowing first, "they told us if we closed our eyes, they would shoot us in the head." She didn't want to add that she had considered it at one point wondering if it would be better than what was coming to her.

"So, you actually saw everything?" Midorya said in a low voice, "All of it?"

She nodded, "I couldn't really look anywhere but ahead of me, they were covering the place in blood too."

It was quiet but then she continued, pointing to another picture, "That's Kya, she's my-she was my age," she then said, "Her desk was across from mine, we used to hang out after work sometimes."

She recounted the memory of watching her friend being dragged, screaming and crying for help, reaching for her and all she could do was sit there in terror as she watched helplessly.

"One of them cut out her tongue, and completely severed her arm before finally slicing her throat." Uraraka said, "Some of it got on my face."

Todoroki put the picture down, looking somewhat pale and she saw her friend lying on the ground with eyes wide open and spilling blood everywhere.

She had to avert her eyes and find the next one, and the next one, and the next one. She was green by the time she finished, her throat dry, the table littered in photos of mangled bodies and blood.

She shut her eyes then, "Then they picked me."

"Uraraka, were you aware that they placed you all in a certain position?" Iida asked.

She looked up at him and shook her head, "No, I had no idea."

Todoroki put down a picture of all the bodies, making a circle with severed limbs and bodies with two others creating a V shape in the middle.

"What is that?" she gasped.

"Well, here's the thing," Midorya explained, "We had to get you out of there fast but, you were placed here," he said as he drew a line across the V with a red sharpie.

"It's a symbol that means Anarchy." Todoroki explained.

She was speechless but not even that surprised as she covered her mouth with her hand for a moment before squeezing her dress skirt with clenched fists.

"Can you remember what they did to you at that point? This is when they got sloppy so anything you can tell us," Todoroki said, giving her a sympathetic but pleading look, "may be a big clue."

She took a breath before shutting her eyes and telling them about the first blow to her chest with a bat. And then so many more after that, she'd lost count after six. She remembered when they held her arm down and burned her skin with it and feeling stabbed multiple times all over her limbs. At one point, they hit her in the head and blackened her eye. It was then she started losing chunks of time.

"After they busted my head I couldn't really see, I just kept hearing a horrible ringing in my ears."

"What kind of ringing?" Todoroki asked.

She frowned for a moment then looked up, "You know, it wasn't really like the ringing you hear when something is loud, it was kind of annoying and sort of distant."

"Like, maybe a phone or alarm?" Midorya asked.

"Maybe…" she breathed, "I just thought it was my head, but, honestly, I'm not so sure, and the doctor said my ears are fine."

"Hang on," Midorya said, getting his phone out, "Let me know if any of these sound familiar."

She listened to a few ringtones before one finally stood out from the others. There was no mistaking it, it was this weird constant buzzing ring that she knew could have been mistaken for something else, "That's it."

"Okay, this is important, did you hear any talking at that point?" Iida said, leaning in.

Uraraka thought back as hard as she could, she tried focusing on everything, the sounds, the smells, the tastes, everything.

She remembered tasting blood in her mouth, maybe bile at one point. She remembered smelling the blood and feeling it coat her whole body. She remembered feeling so weak and in pain she didn't even know if she could feel. Then she remembered names.

"Stain!" she suddenly said, "I think someone said Stain."

They all looked at her and she glanced questioningly at them.

"He's a notorious cop killer." Bakugo explained, "Doesn't surprise me that he was involved."

"Anyone else?" Midorya asked.

"Yes, actually, I heard maybe Tabby or Abby or Dabi?"

Todoroki looked up just then, "Did you say, Dabi?"

"Yeah, I think that's the one."

"Could you look at this for a second and point to anyone familiar." He told her as he handed her a notebook that had different pictures of policeman in uniforms. She scanned each one, but nothing stood out, but one finally did, and she pointed, "Him, but his hair was black, and he had a really bad scar under his chin."

Todoroki nodded sadly, "Doesn't surprise me."

She looked down and noticed the name; Touya Todoroki, "Who is he?" she asked him.

"He's my brother." Todoroki said with a hint of venom in his voice, "He changed his name when he began working for crime syndicates."

"He used to be a very fine member of the police force, he even worked alongside my brother." Iida said sadly, "Turns out he was working for some very bad people that included Stain."

"I'm very sorry." Todoroki told her sadly.

"No, don't be." She told him firmly, "He hurt me, but you haven't. You've all kept me and my parents alive so far and I'm really grateful."

"Uraraka…" Midorya asked gently, "There is one more picture, but, it's of you. If you don't want to see it, we can put it aside."

Although she really wasn't sure she wanted to, a part of her felt confident that she had seen her body enough to know it was bad. And if it would help this investigation, she would at least try. She nodded, tensing in anticipation.

He placed the picture down and she saw an almost unrecognizable face with a body full of bruises, cuts, burns, and carvings. Her face was lifeless, just like her friends and for a moment she swore the person in this picture was dead. But she wasn't.

She suddenly vomited violently on the floor and Bakugo helped her up to get her to a bathroom.

"Damn nerd." He muttered, finding a bathroom in the hall and allowing her to vomit into the toilet. He found a towel and wetted it, lifting her hair and placing it on the back of her neck.

"She okay?" Kirishima came over.

"We're done for today." Bakugo ordered angrily.

"Bakugo- "

"I said we're done!" he yelled, "Get that shit off the table, I don't want her to see any more of it."

Kirishima held his hands up and backed away with a nod.

Bakugo was furious. He knew she was brave but to see that picture of herself was way too much, even for him. Hell, after the first picture he should have stopped them. He knew this was helping them, but he hated that it affected Uraraka like this.

She started dry heaving and sobbing, he bent down, still holding the towel to the back of her neck, "Slow breaths, kid."

She tried to listen to him but couldn't seem to get a grip, without warning she turned to the floor and sank to it, catching herself and let out a scream so loud she was certain the ocean couldn't drown it out.

"I was dead!" she cried, "I was dead!"

He noticed they had all at this point come to see what was happening, but he gave them a scowl and Kirishima had them all leave to give them privacy.

To be honest, they were shocked. Normally it was Midorya or even Iida who took care of something like this. They'd had plenty of victims have meltdowns before and normally Bakugo stayed strong and distant, ready to find someone and kill them. But right now, he was focused solely on Uraraka, whispering to her calmly and holding her.

He finally kicked the door shut as he knelt and brought her close to him, setting her in his lap and holding her as she sobbed loudly. For once he had no clue how to help her and it bothered him. It bothered him because his heart was breaking. The girl that came to the office that morning was confident and fun, she was determined and ready to take leadership, but now, she was broken completely.

He wasn't sure how long he held her before her sobs quieted and she choked out, "I shouldn't be here. I should have died with them."

"That's not true, angel face and you know it." He told her sternly.

She shook her head and kept repeating over and over that she deserved to die. That she had no right to live while they died.

"Didn't I tell you already that you're not frail." He barked at her, "You are something, and you're something to me, God damnit, so don't you ever say that about yourself again. I don't want to hear that crap from you."

She took shuddering breaths and he continued to hold her until she fell completely weak in his arms. She must have finally passed out and he wanted nothing more than to stay here with her like this, but she didn't deserve to wake up in a bathroom held by some cop. He picked her up and carried her easily to the bedroom to lay her down and cover her up. He stared down at her for a few moments before wiping his face of any tears he might have shed in the process before leaving the room.

He walked out and his team just stared at him to which he responded with a glare in their direction.

Kirishima came forward, "Hey, man, this is just part of the job." He said softly, patting his shoulder.

Bakugo ignored them and headed for the fridge to grab a beer, "Who's bright idea was it to even show her that shit?"

"Bakugo," Iida sighed, "We understand you wanting to be protective, but I have to ask you, what is exactly going on between you and her?"

Bakugo took a long drink, knowing full well he'd have hell to pay later for this, but at this point, he didn't even care, "I don't know," he answered honestly, "All I do know is that I am not letting another scumbag put their hands on her again."


	7. The Ocean

Chapter 7-The Ocean

***Trigger Warning: Sex…again, also mentions of past date rape and child sexual abuse

Uraraka woke up and realized that it must have been late afternoon. Her whole body ached, and she felt awful. She laid there in the dark, staring at the wall that had a painting of a sailboat on clear ocean waters. She took it in and wished she could be the person on that sailboat, not a care in the world. She had loved life so much before this nightmare began. She was confident and happy, with many friends and a good job with wonderful people. But now, she didn't even feel real.

She felt tears fall down her cheeks, thinking about her parents and wanting them to be here. She always tried to be strong for them but, they were the ones always comforting her in the end.

She heard the door open but continued to stare at the painting.

"Uraraka?" she heard Midorya ask her softly, "I wanted to see if you were hungry?"

He came around to see her and gave her an encouraging smile. She managed to tear her eyes from the wall and look over at him. He got down to her level, "Don't worry, you don't need to answer any more questions."

She shut her eyes before taking a breath and opening them. As much as she felt sick, she knew he was right, and she needed to eat. The hard part was that it hurt to move. She tried to sit up but groaned loudly and clutched her ribs. They hadn't bothered her in a while, and she had a feeling it was just everything was finally starting to throb after days of running and hiding.

Midorya helped her, "Can I check your ribs?" he asked her.

She looked up at him and he merely smiled comfortingly, "I've had a few broken bones myself."

She lifted her skirt and he made sure the covers kept her bottom from being seen as he leaned in to check her bruise.

"Uraraka, your ribs are really swollen. We might want to put some ice on them."

She nodded as she bit her lip and lowered her dress as he assisted in getting her out of the bed. She practically hobbled out of the room and felt like she was walking on pins and needles the whole time. He held her carefully the whole time before getting her to the couch and turning to Kirishima who was on his computer at the kitchen island.

"Kirishima, get some ice!" he called.

Kirishima looked up, taking note of how pale Uraraka looked as she was set down on the couch by Midorya. He got up and immediately found an ice pack and a towel, handing it to Midorya.

"Just lie here for about ten to fifteen minutes," Midorya instructed, "it should help the swelling."

"Does she want any pain killers?" Kirishima asked as he went to find the first aid kit.

Midorya nodded and he went to get her some water and medicine.

Midorya turned his attention back to her as he got her head situated on a pillow and then found a small blanket to help cover her with.

Kirishima came back with a bottled water and Ibuprofen which Midorya took and gave to Uraraka who gladly downed it.

She smiled at him, feeling grateful and allowed herself to close her eyes as he got up and walked with Kirishima to the kitchen.

They must have thought she was passing out again as they spoke in hushed voices, "Where's Bakugo?" Midorya asked.

"Still out in the garage with the punching bag." Kirishima chuckled.

"Do you think it's…more?" Midorya asked, "You know, between him and her?"

It was obvious that his team was not quite sure how to react to the revelation that Bakugo had something more going on with Uraraka and she didn't know whether to be embarrassed, nervous, or glad that they figured it out.

"Hard to say with Bakugo," Kirishima said in a soft voice, "I don't think I've ever seen him this way with anyone before."

"Me neither, I mean, it's kind of nice to know he really cares about someone." Midorya admitted.

Uraraka held her breath, wondering what they meant by that and if it was true when she heard a door slam and footsteps coming up the stairs.

Iida came up with Todoroki who was helping him carry at least six boxes of pizza. She almost sat up violently at the thought of having pizza but winced when she tried to move.

"What happened?" Todoroki asked, glancing at Uraraka.

"Her ribs were pretty swollen, just let her be." Midorya informed them as he came over to check on her, "Hey, I thought you might have passed out again." He smiled sheepishly, hoping he hadn't heard his conversation with Kirishima. He felt relieved that she seemed fixated on the pizza and smiled, going to grab her a slice or two.

They all turned as they heard the door slam shut below them and watched Bakugo come up the stairs. He was sweaty in his white tank top but looked a little less uptight. He turned and paused, his eyes widening at the sight of Uraraka on the couch with ice on her chest.

Kirishima immediately filled him in, "She's okay, her ribs are a little swollen."

Midorya removed the ice and finally helped her sit up and handed her the plate of pizza which she practically scarfed down, ignoring the stares.

"We'll put more ice on them later, see if the swelling went down." Midorya said as Bakugo walked forward to check on her. She was practically ignoring him and fixated on pizza and to his surprise he didn't even care. He just smiled, stealing a piece off Midorya's plate and walking to his room to change his shirt and wash his face. He really did feel better taking his anger out on a punching bag in the garage and seeing her so happy to eat pizza helped alleviate his frustration of not being able to fix her. He was glad he'd suggested pizza to Iida to get as he recalled hearing her talk about it at the cabin.

He quickly washed his face and changed back into his maroon sweater and jeans before coming back out.

He smiled as he watched her start to relax, glad she couldn't see him. Todoroki, on the other hand, could see him and gave him a knowing grin to which he scowled at and turned away to get some pizza for himself. He made to go sit by her when Iida cleared his throat.

"So now that we're all here-" Iida started, noticing Bakugo give him the deadliest look, "Relax," he told him and turned towards the couches where Midorya and Uraraka turned to see him, "Uraraka, we want to thank you for all the information you gave us earlier, and don't worry, we won't been asking any more of you from here on out."

"But," she swallowed her piece of pizza, "What about the anarchy thing? Isn't there more to that?"

"Yes, but that's for us to finish, you've done amazing on your part." He smiled at her, "You can rest easy now."

"I don't know if I did a whole lot." She admitted, "I mean I barely remembered anything."

"Not true, you gave us names and a statement." Iida said proudly, "If this makes it to court, you could put away a lot of bad people."

"But for now- "Bakugo finally cut in, "you don't need to worry."

"Not to be argumentative but, I do." She told him firmly.

They all stared at her incredulously, glancing back and forth from her to Bakugo to gauge his reaction, surprised to see he gave her a questioning look and nothing more.

She put her plate down and wiped her hands on her dress, "They're after me, and they won't stop until they find me and finish the job." She stated, "I'm a little sick and tired of sitting around waiting for that day to come, and I'm really tired of feeling guilty about being alive. So," she took a breath, "I think I need to be the one that draws them out."

"The fuck you are." Bakugo growled, looking ready to strangle her.

She gave him a firm glare that stopped him in his tracks and for a moment they swore he'd finally met his match.

"Think about it, if I'm seen at the station or at least back in town, they're more likely to come after me. It might even throw them off."

"I hate to admit it, but she has a point." Midorya said.

"Shut up nerd!" he shouted angrily before turning on her in a dangerously low voice, "you better be concussing or something, because there is no way in hell, I am letting you do that."

"You don't get to decide this, I do." She told him, "Blame it on the pizza but I'm so ready to be able to walk down a street and grab a slice when I want without worrying that someone's going to kill me."

"Uraraka," Iida chimed in, "that's a pretty big risk, you know we could easily do this without you being put in that kind of position."

"Thank you!" Bakugo nearly roared.

She shook her head, "I did nothing to help my friends, I just sat there waiting to die. And a part of me still wishes they had finished me off, but they didn't. I want them to pay for what they did and if I can do this, then I'm going to do it."

They were all silent for a moment and Bakugo looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. Who did she think she was? There was no way she could do this and not make it out alive, there were too many risks. No, he wasn't about to let her do this. And yet, the look in her eyes had a hint of hope in them and to see her finally standing tall, no longer crushed by guilt and sorrow, to see her ready to fight, it really moved him, and he swore she had to be the most amazing person ever. Crazy, but amazing.

"I say we do it." Midorya said with a nod.

"I agree." Todoroki nodded as well.

"I'm in." Kirishima smiled.

Iida nodded finally, "Alright, but we will be taking extra measures to ensure nothing happens to you."

Bakugo finally walked forward, "If you're dead set on this angel face, you better be ready. And you better stay close." He said.

"You're actually okay with this?" she asked him incredulously.

"No, but there's no way I'm stopping you, so I might as well be the one keeping you from doing something stupid." He shrugged, still annoyed.

She smiled and nodded, "Okay."

"Let's take these bastards down." Kirishima grinned.

…..

Uraraka for once felt something she had never felt before and it drove her motivation to go through with this.

She considered herself a leader, a person who took chances, someone who didn't back down from a challenge. But being beaten and forced to watch people around her die, to fear for her life and put it completely in someone else's hands, it made her feel weak and powerless.

It was the pizza. She knew it was dumb, but it was always pizza that reminded her that she could do amazing things, that she could control her life again. And when she had pizza for the first time since being attacked, it all made sense to her. She was putting her sorority shirt on over her gray shorts when the door opened.

She turned to see Bakugo come in, looking tense as he walked towards her and frowned, "You want to tell me what the hell that was?" he growled.

She ignored him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. She understood his desire to keep her safe; it was his job, but this was her life.

"I'm not changing my mind so don't ask." She told him bluntly as she sat on the bed, "I'm not wasting my time, not again." She mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked her, walking forward and standing before her and crossing his arms.

She looked up at him coldly, "Remember when I told you I was a sorority girl?"

He nodded and chuckled a little, "I still can't believe that."

"I was raped at a party." She told him bluntly. He stared at her blankly, obviously not expecting that.

"I had to report it, I had to admit that I was drinking underage, I had to sit in court and listen to them tell me I was a whore and liar who was ruining this guy's life."

He continued to listen, wondering why she was telling him this.

"I was told to just give it up and move on like it didn't happen, and I was so close to losing everything I worked so hard for." She continued, "My best friend, Tsu, brought me beer and pizza one night and she told me that what I was doing was right, I was saving other women. And ever since then, I never lost control of my life again. When someone hurts me or hurts others, I make sure they pay for it."

"Did he pay for it?" he asked, looking angry now.

"No, not really." She admitted sadly, "He got off thanks to his rich parents, but his image was ruined, and he couldn't set foot on campus anymore, so I'd say I did okay."

Bakugo still looked angry as she told him this, mostly at the ass hole who put her through this sort of thing. If there was one thing he hated just as much if not more than murderers, it was rapists.

"As uplifting as that story is," he pointed out, "it doesn't change the fact that this isn't just some college prick. This is serious, psychopaths and dirty cops."

"Doesn't matter who they are, I can take them now." She said, "I refuse to lose any more power I have left."

He shook his head but had to smile, "God, you are either the dumbest or bravest woman I've ever met."

"Probably both." She admitted, looking away, "But I'd rather die trying than give up and wait to die."

He sat down next to her then and put a hand on her knee, squeezing it, "I don't like this, pink cheeks." He admitted, "But I stand by what I said before. I'm not letting you go. You do this, you stick with me, got it?"

She smiled at him, "I trust you."

He was floored and he swore the room was spinning. No one had ever said those words to him in his life. Sure, his team put their trust in him, his parents trusted him to do his best, and he believed he was honest. But to have someone tell him to his face that they trusted him, someone he'd grown to care for, he didn't even know how to respond to that. He sometimes felt distant from people because he knew they were scared or him or didn't like how he did his job. He knew what people thought of him and he never let it get to him. So now, she sat here next to him, putting her life on the line and telling him that she trusted him, someone who had every reason to distrust every man who came her way, he wanted nothing more than to hold her close now and keep her forever.

He reached up to pull her face to his and kissed her, but it wasn't rough or desperate; it was gentle, light and sensitive. He pulled away from her to take her in and felt his breath catch when she looked into his eyes and smiled, telling him with just that look that she had meant every word and he believed her.

She removed her shirt then and finally revealed herself. He noticed the bruises, the carvings and burn marks yes, but the way she held herself was not that of a victim; she was a survivor now.

He removed his shirt in one swift motion and brought her down to lie on the bed with him. She climbed on top of him and he held her to his chest, loving the feel of their skin being together. But he wanted more, he wanted to explore every inch of her, hear every sound, taste everything about her.

She seemed to feel the same way as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him deeply. He growled low in his throat, wrapping his arms around her and turning her onto her back to get on top of her, never once breaking contact. He could feel her strength radiating from her body and taste the desperation and need as she kissed him. He wanted to keep tasting and exploring but he needed air too. He broke from her and then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Take off your pants."

She had chills and did as she was asked without hesitation. He assisted when he could tell it was hard for her and stared down at her body, a body that had taken a beating but was not taken down. He removed his pants and he could feel her eyes taking all of him in and had to smirk as he remembered that stupid romance novel she'd tried to read. He'd glanced at a few pages himself and knew exactly why she turned so red the minute he caught her staring at him. What he wasn't about to tell her was that he'd enjoyed envisioning her in that book as well, but as he took her hand in his and leaned down, he had to admit that this was better than some romance novel by fucking far.

He couldn't keep from staring at her and brushed some strands of auburn hair from those hazel eyes he was coming to bask in, "You have any idea how amazing you are, angel face?" he told her.

She smiled but could tell she didn't quite believe him, obviously still shy. He'd help her come around though.

She stared into his crimson eyes giving her the most intense look and let herself curl her fingers in his blonde locks. He was drop dead gorgeous and he was naked, on top of her, staring at her and telling her she was amazing. She felt her breath catch as he finally came down and claimed her mouth with his, allowing his tongue to enter her once more and shutting her eyes as she swore the taste of caramel filled her senses.

They broke from the kiss and she barely heard him breathe, "Say it again."

She looked up at him and he repeated louder, "Say it…please." He nearly begged.

"Say what?" she asked him.

She didn't know he could ever look vulnerable and here he was pleading to her, "Say you trust me."

Without a second's hesitation she answered him, "I trust you."

She felt him rest his head on her chest in the valley between her breasts and breathe her in. She rested her hands gently on his head as he looked back to her with a smile that was so sweet and gentle, she wanted to cry.

She almost did as he sank lower and took one of her nipples into his mouth. She gasped and he rubbed her other breast with his hand, the touch burning her with intensity as he played with her nipple. She felt both heat and ice as he breathed and licked at her nub and took it once more into his mouth and sucked.

"Ah!" she gasped aloud and tried to cover her mouth.

"Did I hurt you?" he suddenly asked, looking up at her nervously.

She shook her head behind her hands and knew her cheeks had to be burning by now. He caught on and merely grinned mischievously, "You like my tongue?" he asked her.

She bit her lip, not sure how to answer when he moved lower towards her pelvic region and her eyes widened, knowing exactly what he was about to do.

"Give me your hand cheeks." He said softly, extending one of his hands to her. She didn't want to take her hand from her mouth for fear she'd cry out but she couldn't resist his offer and allowed him to hold her hand and let her other one clutch at the sheets below her and clenched her teeth, watching as he licked his lips and bent down to first kiss her inner thigh slowly and gently. He was getting closer, sucking here and there and making her thrust towards him when she finally felt him kiss her intimately.

She gasped loudly when she felt his slick tongue enter her, clenching his hand and the sheets as she grit her teeth and hissed when his thumb began to rub her clit. She moaned, moving her hips and wanting more.

He could tell by the sounds she made; the thrusting of her hips just how ready she was for him. She tasted so fucking good and he savored every morsel of her. He finally took a breath of air and let two of his fingers enter her and decided to enjoy the show, watching her face every time his fingers bore deeper inside her, curving to find that right spot he knew would send her over the edge.

Her breasts heaved with every breath and every thrust and he felt himself growing almost impatient with want, no need, but he had to wait. He wanted to show her just how amazing she really was and was determined to bring her to that point.

Her words, I trust you, rang in his ears like a lifeline. She had been betrayed and mistreated by so many, and to put her faith in others, in him, was nothing short of a miracle. All the pride and power he'd felt was nothing compared to this new sensation he was experiencing; he was complete.

He heard her moan and release a jagged breath as he entered a third finger, thrusting faster and rubbing her clit harder. Heat pooled onto his hand and he grinned as her essence spilled all over his hand. He knew it was time now as he climbed on top of her and stared at her, glistening with sweat and eyes that seemed lost in pleasure. He couldn't get enough.

"Angel face?" he asked her, brushing sweaty strands from her brow, "You tell me if anything hurts okay?"

"Mm." she nodded with a breath.

He positioned himself and felt her arms reach up to his shoulders, running her fingers up his neck and he bit his lip as he entered her slowly, watching her face grow more and more desperate with need. She thrust up and he grunted in satisfaction to feel her so tight and wet around his shaft. He could honestly stay like this and be completely fine but the feeling of wanting more was too much to pass up and he began to thrust, slowly at first but gradually picking up pace. Both starting to pant as they increased their intensity and speed.

He grew more desperate and grabbed her breast, playing with her nipple again and watching her throw her head back and bite back a moan. He chuckled at that and felt beads of sweat run down his face and knew he was getting close.

She was too. Her walls were tightening, and she began to slow somewhat, and he decided he was ready. His finger found her clit once more and with deft hands rubbed it so quickly, she let out a startled yelp and came onto his dick. He relished the feel of her becoming so wet and hot. He continued to ride his pleasure until he couldn't take anymore.

"Uraraka." He breathed before finally allowing his release.

Both were incredibly exhausted and merely stayed this way for what felt like hours but was just seconds. He pulled out gently and finally collapsed next to her. She was unable to move, her body screaming from pain and pleasure, her breath trying to find itself as she turned her head to him. He was obviously feeling the same way as he placed a hand on his chest and tried to slow his heart rate down before looking back at her.

He finally caught his breath before getting up to turn off the light and climbing back into bed. He instantly pulled her to his body and felt her wrap her arms around his waist as he found her neck to kiss gently, holding her head to him. Both were hot and sweaty, still naked and reeling from their love making but he could not, would not let her go. She clutched him tightly and he held her back.

Holding her this way made him feel that all the missing pieces in his life were finally being put together and it all made sense to him. Whereas she felt an amazing comfort being in his arms, their skin touching one another. To be vulnerable with one another, to put faith in one another, and to feel alive, was the final driving motivator for her to finally feel at peace. This man had saved her life, had taught her and reminded her of a truth she now knew was real, and made her feel for the first time, that she was worthy of a life worth living.

…..

She heard rustling and opened her eyes, trying to remember where she was. She noticed it was still dark outside and Bakugo was up and putting on a shirt and some sweatpants. He followed with a light jacket and then turned to see her, "I want you to see something, get dressed." He told her.

She rubbed her eyes and managed to sit up with a slight groan. She walked to the bag and put on some black sweatpants and her sorority shirt to put on. When she finished, he handed her a light jacket as well and took her hand, leading her out of the bedroom.

"What are we doing?" she whispered, still feeling groggy but now more awake due to curiosity.

He turned and put a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet. They crept through the dark house and towards the stairs. She wasn't sure what he was doing as neither were wearing shoes, but he unlocked the door and led her out into the night.

It was crisp and cool outside, it felt good, and the sound of that ocean made her feel more peaceful. He kept a firm grip on her hand and began to lead her behind the house and onto a wooden dock. It was dark but there was light creeping from the sky, and she knew it must be very early dawn. They passed some tall grass and she nearly paused as the view of the ocean, though somewhat dark, flooded her gaze. This was the first time she'd ever seen a beach in person, and it was the most gorgeous view she'd ever seen. Her eyes widened as they walked down some steps and onto soft sand. Because it was morning it was a little chillier, but it felt amazing on her toes and she wanted so badly to just lie in it. They moved closer to the shoreline, the sound of it hitting the beach strong. He suddenly sat down and motioned her to sit with him. She did and leaned back into his chest, where he rested his chin on top of her head, wrapping his arms around her. She let her toes wriggle in the sand and sighed contentedly.

"Don't close your eyes yet or you'll miss it." He told her.

"Miss what?" she asked.

He pointed off to the horizon and she realized what he meant. The sun was just starting to peak over the ocean waters, giving the sky a pinkish purple color. She couldn't close her eyes even if she wanted to. Every single memory of her life didn't hold a candle to this one moment. She had finally seen the ocean, but not just that, she'd seen the ocean waking up.

"It's amazing." She breathed.

He grunted softly in agreement. As dumb as it sounded, he'd seen the ocean, but he'd never seen a sunrise on the ocean. He'd always planned to someday, but it never felt right until this moment. Whatever happened today, tomorrow, he had this, and he had her.

Time seemed to halt as they watched the sun rise more and more and dolphins began jumping in the distance. The water finally took on a light blue color with hints of glimmer from the sun. It was breathtaking and perfect.

"We should head back." He sighed after a while. She didn't want to go back, she never wanted to go inside ever again. But she recalled her words to him last night and knew that he was right. They had a job to do and she was going to see it through. For those brief moments, she had something she would never forget and never regret.

Walking back, they were silent, but he still held onto her hand tightly, his other hand in his jacket pocket. Both were relieved to see no one was up yet so they had a chance to sneak back to the room. She was about to go change clothes when he pulled her onto the bed and she nearly giggled as he pulled her to him and began viciously making out with her.

"Bakugo, we need- "she whispered, but he stopped her with another deep kiss.

"We got time." He whispered back.

It felt so amazing to just lie there as the sun began peeking in the sky and holding her so close, tasting her repeatedly. She was perfect and he did not want this to end.

But damnit a door opened down the hall and he heard footsteps. He sighed as he brushed strands of hair from her face and rubbed a thumb on her cheek, "Okay pink cheeks, put on some jeans and a warm shirt." He told her as they released one another and sat up. He helped her stand and she went to go put on some jeans while he did the same. She didn't know what would happen today or what the plan was yet, but she trusted him, and she trusted his team, so she did not question his requests.

She found a black tank top to put on over her sports bra and then threw on a black knitted sweater. She managed to get on some socks and shoes in time to see he'd put on a clean black t-shirt and was adjusting his holsters. She noticed as he finished tying his boots that he had two black leather jackets sitting on the bed next to him.

He motioned for her to follow him and she did, walking out with him carrying his duffel bag and the jackets. The rest of his team was out in the kitchen, finishing off leftover bagels and pizza while making coffee and packing things up to leave.

It was oddly quiet as everyone seemed focused on what was to come, knowing the danger and the risks, but feeling driven, just like her, to see it through.

"Alright, do we have everything?" Iida asked as he came in.

They all nodded, and he looked around, "So here's the plan, Todoroki and Midorya will take one car, Kirishima and I will be in another. Bakugo will be on the bike with Uraraka, we're going in different directions back into the city. Once there, we will meet at Todoroki's place and then head to the station with Uraraka. If anything happens, text someone or call."

"Wait, the bike?" Uraraka gasped.

Bakugo grinned and handed her a leather jacket, "Much quicker and easier to maneuver, plus they won't expect it."

She didn't know what to think as they all began to depart. She waited in the driveway watching as everyone got to their cars meanwhile Bakugo went to the garage and pulled out a black Harley. It looked like it had two seats and at least a rest in the back so she felt somewhat better. He put some things in a compartment side car and then handed her a black closed helmet with a dark visor, "You ever ridden before?" he asked her.

She shook her head and managed to get the large helmet over her head and adjust the straps. He put on a matching helmet and had her hop on. She felt awkward at first but once she was settled it didn't feel as scary.

He got on and started it up, "I know there's a back rest but you're still going to want to hold on, angel face." He told her over the engine.

She wrapped her arms around him quickly, feeling nervous as the bike began to vibrate and loud sounds emanated from it. Though the helmet was good at keeping her from hearing the loud noise, she was still a little nervous, "I didn't know you rode a bike." She said nervously.

"I used to be highway patrol before becoming a detective." He said, revving the engine, "Ready?"

Not really, she thought, but nodded against her will.

He pulled out and she nearly squealed, grasping him for dear life.

At first, she didn't feel as worried going the normal speed limit in the neighborhood, but as he began to pick up the pace, she began to get more flustered, trying to control her breathing. She'd never been on a bike before and the sensation was exhilarating but also terrifying. He handled it like it was second nature to him. For a while, she had to close her eyes and focus on his back, but then out of the corner of her eye she caught a bright glint and turned to see they were riding on the freeway next to the coastline. The sun was up more, and the waters were turning a more turquoise blue color and the ocean was lively and bright. She couldn't help but smile as she practically flew by, it felt freeing as she relaxed more.

Turns were another story for her, every time he changed lanes or turned a corner she tried not to yelp.

"Doing okay back there?" he called.

"I think so." She yelled back.

He grinned, knowing full well she was a nervous wreck on this thing, feeling her grip him tighter at times but then relaxing after a few minutes.

He had loved riding bikes, ever since he was little. Something about the roar, the fire power, the speed that made him feel like he was flying. He almost always never drove unless he had to because to him, motorcycles were the only thing that motivated him to be a hero. That and now, Uraraka.

He drove for almost two hours before finding a gas station and pulling into it. He knew Uraraka needed to stretch her legs, this being her first time on a bike, and he needed to check in with the others.

He got off and assisted her, noting she was obviously trying to remember how to use her legs, "How do you do that without splitting your legs?" she mumbled as she took off her helmet and ruffled her hair.

The image of her in his jacket, removing a motorcycle helmet and tossing her hair was now in his brain and he swore he got hard in those few seconds alone. He suddenly laughed watching her squat and try using her knees like a normal person and ruffled her hair, "You get used to it." He teased.

He took out his phone but there were no alerts, which was a good sign that they were in the clear for now. She stretched her back and rolled her neck. He couldn't resist this time, coming up behind her and nibbling just below her ear to the exposed space, "Just so you know, you look really sexy in my jacket."

Her pinks turned the shade of pink he was slowly making his favorite color. He planted one more kiss on her neck before releasing her and then motioned to the gas station, "Need anything?"

"Not right now." She said, "Just need to walk a little bit."

He almost muttered an expletive as he really needed to take a leak, but he couldn't exactly leave her. He opted for finding a spot nearby to relieve himself. Luckily, she stayed close but wasn't watching him, distracted by some of the scenery.

Once he finished, he took a moment to look around, the place was deserted, mostly truckers and tourists, but he really didn't feel like sticking around for long, so he hurried and filled his Harley with gas.

He felt a buzzing in his pocket and took out his phone: Check the news!

He opened the news app on his phone and his stomach dropped. All their pictures, Uraraka, Bakugo, Iida, Kirishima, Midorya and Todoroki were on the page. They were all wanted under suspicion of murder.

He looked up towards the store, paranoid now that people were aware of this and possibly making a call. This changed everything now and they all knew it.

He texted them back: I'm taking Uraraka to another safe place, I won't say it on here just in case.

They all texted that they were also looking for safe places outside of town that evening, and he pocketed his phone, motioning Uraraka to come over. She seemed relaxed and he did not want to worry her.

"We need to split, angel face." He said, quickly putting his helmet on and helping her do the same. She groaned as she got back on the bike, but he ignored it as he finished with the gas. He hopped back on the bike and booked it as fast as he could. She seemed more relaxed as they drove but, in his head, he was trying to figure out what to do and where to go. He needed a plan and fast. At least their helmets hid their faces and he was grateful for that, plus his bike could find roads most cars couldn't drive on. He tried going through his brain to figure out what to do. He couldn't go to his family as he was a suspect and they were probably watching them, he couldn't go back into town, he couldn't take her to any police safe house, and he was too afraid to go back to Iida's place as there was evidence hidden there.

Damnit, he thought, he knew exactly what these creeps were doing, using them all as decoys to hide the real criminals. It pissed him off.

For a while he rode, ruminating what to do and trying to see if there was a place, he could find to keep them safe. He was worried about hotels and gas stations as most of them would have their pictures up or police would instinctively watch those places. He knew he would if trying to find a criminal.

He suddenly cursed himself for not even thinking about a place he knew of and took off in that direction. He'd completely forgotten about it he hadn't been in so long; years really. He honestly hated the place and the memories it held but with the crap fest they were in, it was the only solution he could come up with. He hoped the others found safety but knew if anything went wrong, he would find out.

He sighed with relief but then realized that it was later in the day and he was going to need more gas soon. He went down some back roads, hoping to find a spot and was relieved to see a very isolated place with a tiny store, it was shady, but it beat something more public.

"Finally." Uraraka sighed, "I definitely need to use a lady's room now."

"Hold on," he grabbed her arm before she could dash inside. He lifted the visor on his helmet and walked her into the place. There was just one worker at the counter, a teen who obviously did not care to be there and like the owners, did not care to even make the place somewhat clean. He almost made Uraraka relieve herself outside but knew it would raise suspicion and he didn't want her to worry right now.

"You have a bathroom?" he asked the guy.

The guy pointed without looking up, "Outside, it's open."

Uraraka and Bakugo walked out and he opened the door for her, still looking around with his helmet on and holding onto hers. The minute she came back out he would fill up his bike and they would hightail it out of there.

He practically bounced impatiently as he looked around and checked his phone. Todoroki and Midorya had found a place and were hiding there until further notice. No response from Kirishima and Iida yet.

He looked over when he heard a car approaching and his stomach dropped when he realized it was a sheriff's car.

"Shit." He muttered, hoping she would come out soon. He was relieved to hear the toilet flushing and hear her washing her hands. As soon as the door opened, he shoved her back inside and put the helmet on her head, "Keep this on, don't take it off for any reason and stay close to me, act normal, got it?"

She hitched her breath, realizing that their situation was changing and nodded nervously.

He took her hand and they exited to go towards the bike to start filling it up. She stood nervously nearby and didn't take long to notice the sheriff's car and know what was bothering Bakugo.

As he filled up the tank, he kept an eye on the store, watching the sheriff and the kid through the window. The cop suddenly came out and he was practically hissing for the gas to finish filling his bike as he kept a hand steady near his gun. He could feel Uraraka behind him, practically vibrating from fear as they waited.

"Fucking finally." He hissed as the gas finished filling the bike. He turned to see the cop was back at his car and Bakugo quickly helped Uraraka back on the bike quickly. He got on as well and started it up, giving one last look towards the cop who merely waved.

Bakugo waved back, trying not to act suspicious and immediately took off, his head pounding and his heart thudding as Uraraka held him tightly.

He didn't breathe until he was miles down the road, knowing they weren't entirely in the clear yet but kept going until he found the right road; a familiar one.

It was becoming very dark by the time they cleared some forest and traveled down a dirt road. There was a for sale sign at the front of the property of a rather dilapidated house and a rundown barn. He hated this place, hated that he had to bring her here, but it was the only option right now.

He parked the bike and got off, removing his helmet and breathing fresh air. He scrunched his nose in disgust at the place and all the memories behind it but turned to help her get off the bike and could tell she was confused but he would explain everything soon.

He grabbed his bag from the side compartment and walked with her up the rickety porch steps. He ached up towards the top of the door frame and found the spare key that had always been there and unlocked the door that was chipped and rusty from lack of use. The wood made a loud creaking sound as they walked in. Dust practically coated his nostrils and all the furniture was either covered in dust or just plain useless.

He shut the door and found the light switch knowing there'd be power, considering the realtor had to show the place here and there if she ever got lucky enough to have potential buyers.

Uraraka walked down the hall curiously and noticed some photos on the ground, with cracked frames. She picked up one and saw it was a family photo, most of them with blonde hair and front and center was a little boy with crimson eyes and the most devilish smile.

"Is this you?" she smiled.

He turned after putting his things down and grimaced, "Yeah." He shrugged.

"You were adorable." She giggled.

"I'm still adorable what are you talking about?" he growled as he walked towards another room.

She continued to look at all the photos, some of different children and family members. This had to be an old home or at least a relatives place he would visit as a child. She found another picture of Bakugo as a little boy, taking note of the scrapes on his knees and the cheeky smile of a boy who'd just gotten away with trouble. He must have been a handful.

She put the photos down before walking around the dusty hallway, hearing the creaks of old wood and wind knocking against the windows. She wondered who the owners had been and where they were now.

She found him in the kitchen area looking around and saw him grab what looked like a bunch of blankets.

"Bakugo," she asked softly, "why are we here?"

Knots were growing in her stomach. She'd noticed at the gas station how quiet he'd been, how alert and nervous, and now to be here in some abandoned place that wasn't part of the plan. Something had happened and he wasn't telling her.

He sighed and motioned her to walk with him. She did and followed him up some narrow stairs and towards a room that had an old queen-sized bedframe with a dirty mattress on it.

He dusted it off quickly before putting a few blankets over it. She had to fan dust away from her face as she watched him nervously, wringing her hands and wanting to know what was wrong.

She heard him sigh as he put his hands on his hips, looking tired, "We're in some deep shit, pink cheeks." He admitted, coming towards her, "We're all on the news right now, we're wanted as suspects of murder."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, "What?! How can that be? I was in that office building!" she nearly roared.

"It's the precinct and I'm guessing those dirty cops who tried to kill us. They're starting to get desperate and they have to know we're on to them." He sighed, sitting down on the bed, "Everyone is fine and hiding, Todoroki and Midorya are staying with a friend and I just heard from Iida and Kirishima so they're okay. I didn't know where else to go that wouldn't draw attention, so I had to pick this shit hole unfortunately."

"Where exactly are we?" she asked him, crossing her arms and coming to him.

"I had some family who lived here, Aunt and Uncle, but they don't live here anymore so my folks have been trying to sell the place." He shrugged, "No one really knows about it, so I figure we're safe for now."

She finally sat next to him on the bed, "What do we do?" she asked, feeling somewhat defeated.

He put an arm around her and drew her closer, "We're going to finish this, pink cheeks, I promise you."

She nodded and he believed in his heart that she trusted him and truly did believe in him as well. He just hated feeling powerless now, feeling like he'd failed her in some way, and to be in a place he detested so much didn't help either.

"Let's eat something then get some sleep." He said, "I'm hoping the blankets will at least help but we're going to need to wear layers tonight, no heat right now."

She nodded. It was true they were in a pickle, but at least they were safe, and they were together. She was also relieved to know the others were safe as well.

He went to grab his duffel bag from downstairs and lock up the place. She sat there in the old room, wondering what their next step could even be. What if they were here for a long time with no way of taking down those criminals? And what if their families were put in jeopardy? She had to push that thought away and not think about it or she'd lose herself entirely.

He came back up and tossed her a granola bar and bottled water. She took it gratefully and both sat in silence eating the granola bar, obviously trying to figure out their next move. She began to feel chills as the cold weather from outside beat against the window of the room. The walls seemed to creak with every wind chill.

She decided she needed to get her mind off this and decided to just talk about something innocent, "So did you come here a lot as a kid?" she asked him.

He seemed a little guarded as he answered, "We'd visit almost every summer." He shrugged.

"You must have wonderful memories." She smiled.

"No, not really." He said shortly.

She frowned and he stared at the floor, practically grinding his teeth, "Older cousin had a hard time keeping his hands to himself when it came to me."

At first Uraraka wondered if it was a matter of the older cousin just being aggressive with Bakugo but from the look on his face, it was more than that.

"Bakugo, I-I'm so sorry." She whispered, feeling her heart break for him. He was a tough man and good at what he did. He could be rude and intimidating, but he used to be a child, a child who was abused horribly by someone who was family.

"Like you, I had to deal with people calling me liars in court." He nodded ironically, "But the stupid kid ended up in jail anyways. Turns out I wasn't the only one he messed with."

She was silent, not sure what to say but feeling horrible as she envisioned the little boy in those pictures' downstairs being harmed and treated so badly.

"We haven't seen them in years and this place has been abandoned since. My folks finally decided to take over and sell it. As you can see it's really taking off." He muttered with annoyance.

She shook her head, staring at the floor, "How can someone do that to their own family?" she asked aloud.

He looked over at her then, "Family isn't something I'd call them honestly." He stated, "They're blood, yeah, but they aren't my family."

"Bakugo, if being here is too much for you, I'm sure we can find a place- "

"Save it, kid, I've done my therapy with this place long ago." He smiled, "Yeah, I hate it, but, I'm here because you're more important, kind of like family you could say."

She looked up at him in surprise, "You consider me family to you?"

He nodded like it was the most obvious thing, "Hell yeah, I told you I care about you, and I don't say that to just anyone angel face."

"I'm honored you feel that way about me." She smiled at him, "I guess we have become a family in some sense. Sure, a family born of messed up origins." She added.

He chuckled at that and she tossed her wrapper on the ground as he did the same. She didn't realize just how exhausted she was until she finally laid back down on the bed. It was incredibly cold and uncomfortable and all she could feel was dust in her face but as he lay down next to her in the dark, she felt a little less cold and a tad more comfortable. e covered them with a blanket and pulled her close to him, using his arm to rest his and her head on. It was hard for her to settle though as anxiety creeped through her brain, ruminating over everything and not even his tightened hold around her could break her from the thoughts and she jumped, feeling panicky as loud creaks and groans echoed around her.

He could tell she was struggling to fall asleep and nuzzled her neck, "I'm here, angel face." He said softly to her, "It's just an old house."

She remembered her dad saying something like that to her once when they'd moved. She'd been so nervous and hated the place. It was old and small, with creaky floors and loud radiators. She used to get so terrified of a monster coming to get her that she would rush to her parents who would keep her warm and tell her that she was safe, that it was just an old house, and that they were together.

She heard him snoring softly and felt a little better as she began to allow herself rest.

She had nightmares that night though, of a boy, a blonde little boy, standing amid blood and bodies, crimson eyes filled with tears. She heard hissing sounds and only just realized that they were calling him a liar. Then the voices turned on her calling her a murderer. The boy suddenly became older and turned to face her. It was Bakugo but as she looked into his eyes, there was nothing but fear and defeat. When she looked down, all she saw was blood.

"Bakugo!" she cried, sitting up.

"Shit, holy fuck!" he gasped waking up. The sun was starting to appear outside and she was relieved it was only a dream she'd had, she turned to him, looking first into his eyes and then to his chest. There was no blood, and in his eyes, there was just a mix of confusion, annoyance, and exhaustion.

"What the hell, angel face?" he asked her with a groan, "Scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry…" she breathed, falling back down, rubbing her head, "Sorry."

"Don't apologize." He muttered, holding her tightly, "Must have been some nightmare."

She thought about telling him but couldn't seem to face him and explain what she'd seen. She didn't want to worry him. In all her dreams, she'd recalled nightmarish images and horrible experiences, this was the first one that he appeared in, and in this one, a gigantic fear made itself very clear to her; she did not want to lose him. And in that, she had to start realizing that they were something more, more than family, more than friends. And yet, she was afraid she might be wrong and that when everything was over, if they survived, their lives would return to normal which meant neither of them were there together. The thought caused her pain and she tried not to cry.

She was relieved that he was still resting his eyes and merely holding onto her. She hated that even though he held her she was so cold and part of it had nothing to do with the house or shoddy blankets. She knew that this cold was seeping from fear.

"I don't want to lose you." She whispered quietly as she shut her eyes again.

"You won't angel." He whispered back.


	8. Strip Poker

Chapter 8-Strip Poker

Trigger Warning: Sexy talk and bits of sex

He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he needed to run to a store and get some supplies. He knew there were some local stores he could check out, but he did not want to stand out or get spotted in any way shape or form.

He'd ruminated about it all morning as they lay in bed trying to stay warm. He needed to start a fire and they needed food. Until there was a plan, they were stuck here with nothing and he'd be damned if he'd let her freeze to death or starve on his watch. He knew there was a chance he'd get caught, that no one would know where she was and she'd be here trapped and alone with no way to get help.

He felt her shiver under him and decided that it was a risk he had to take. He just had to make it fast and it had to go smoothly. He could find a way to keep as much of him covered as possible, stay out of sight and as inconspicuous as possible. He was a detective after all and he'd done plenty of undercover gigs.

He rummaged through his bag and found a bandana that he sometimes used for cleaning things and decided to try putting it on his head to see if at least it would hide his blonde hair. He also had sunglasses to wear to hide his eyes. He could easily pass as just some biker taking a road trip.

Uraraka finally sat up and watched him curiously, "Do we know what's going on?" she asked with a small yawn.

"Not yet," he answered, "But I need to find us some supplies if we intend to stay here any longer."

"You're sure that's a good idea for us to go out?"

"Not you, me." He said quickly, "You're going to stay here, maybe go outside and find some wood for the fire later, but you are not to leave this property." He told her firmly.

"What if you get caught?" she gasped, suddenly feeling panicky. This whole time he'd always been nearby, she felt safe and sure when he was around, but to leave her alone and put himself at risk like this; it terrified her.

"It'll be okay, like I said, just grabbing what I can and I'm out." He smiled encouragingly at her, "Be back before you know it."

She hugged herself and knew he was right. There was no plan right now and who knew how long they would be here. After last night she was hungry and tired and cold, and she knew he felt the same.

"Just sit tight, cheeks." He said to her, "Stay out of trouble and don't go far. Here." He said, handing her a flip phone.

"What about you?" she asked him.

"That's one of mine. I always have two." He explained, "It has everyone's numbers you need in there including this one. If there's trouble, you call. If I'm in trouble, I'll alert you, got it?"

She nodded, feeling a little better that she had at least some lifeline to him.

He stood finally and grabbed his helmet, marching past her. She followed him nervously down the stairs to the door when he turned and kissed her quickly, "Stay out of trouble." He ordered playfully.

She grinned a little, "You too."

"Please, I am trouble." He snorted before donning his helmet and leaving.

She stayed by the door, listening as he revved his engine and took off down the road. The minute she could no longer hear the bike was when her panic set in. She walked to the kitchen area and paced, trying to get her mind off being alone and worried about him.

She clutched the phone in her hand and willed it to either ring or to at least hear his engine again. She didn't know how much time had passed, seconds, minutes, hours?

She realized that she was doing absolutely nothing productive when she ended up in some room, she hadn't recalled walking into.

She slapped herself in the face, "Get a grip!" she mumbled, "He's a cop, he's done this before, he's coming back."

She took a few breaths before urging herself to walk outside and at least make herself useful and collect some wood. She was sure there was a whole stack somewhere around here, it was a farm after all.

Being outside was odd to her having been cooped up so much and feeling completely alone in this quiet place. It was cold and eerie to her as she searched the grounds. She pushed past her anxiety as she imagined a tiny Bakugo running around in the mud or climbing trees that were way too tall for him. It made her smile as she searched.

She recalled being a headstrong girl herself, but at the same time, naïve and fearful of the weirdest things. She would see the sadness in her parents' eyes when they were short on money or worried about losing their home and so she tried to be brave for them, happy and carefree because it made them feel better. But she had always been terrified of losing them. Hell, even now she was at risk of losing them.

She had to force the image of them being harmed out of her brain and continue looking for wood. She would check her phone off and on out of a strange desire to at least feel better, to feel a connection to someone. And as much as she hated the silence, she knew that sometimes no news was good news.

She smiled when she came across a tiny woodshed that was dilapidated and falling apart. She immediately grabbed logs and trudged back to the porch to deposit them and decided to make this a mindful exercise to keep from fixating on her worries. She would count how many steps to the shed and back and how many logs she'd gathered.

After collecting more than twenty logs, she decided that it was time to head back in, her hands were starting to get dry and scratched and her whole face felt numb from the cold.

She went back inside and washed her hands at the sink quickly and decided to wait by the door on the stairs. She took out the phone again and opened it, still feeling sad that she hadn't heard anything and yet relieved at the same time. She opened the contacts and almost laughed when she read the names; Shitty Hair, Nerd, Icy Hot, and Four Eyes.

There was one that also stood out as she recalled him saying it to her; King Explosion Murder. She laughed outright and realized that this was obviously the name he gave himself to his other phone.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there laughing until the sound of an engine interrupted her. She froze and shot up, rushing to the window and felt intense relief to see he'd returned. She didn't care, she opened the door and waited as he grabbed some bags and walked up to her. The second his feet touched the steps she launched at him and hugged him fiercely.

"Jesus!" he grunted as he caught her, trying not to fall off the porch, "Nice to see you too."

She relished the feeling of having someone here again and released him reluctantly so he could walk inside. He put the bags down and removed his helmet and bandana before turning to her. He looked winded but he was here and safe.

He shut the door and reached down into a bag, tossing her something. She caught it and saw it was marshmallows and couldn't keep the smile from forming on her face.

He ruffled his hair and sighed with relief, "After the shit show we've been having, I'd say we earned at least that."

She squished the bag excitedly beneath her fingers and smiled at him. He then produced something else with a mischievous grin and she laughed when she saw a brand new deck of cards.

"You up for a rematch?" he smirked.

…

They both managed to get a fire going and set up a small blanket fort in the living room. It was ten times warmer and she was relieved to finally get to take off her jacket and shoes. On his outing he'd managed to grab some hot dogs, water bottles, apples, and granola. It wasn't very much but it would do for now.

She finally put her hair back up in a messy bun to keep from sweating by the fire and was carving a longer stick into something sharp to roast things on. She remembered going camping as a kid and not having fancy tools, so she had to learn to make her own walking sticks or roasting spears. She and her parents always managed to find ways to create things they needed no matter what.

He had been quiet as they finally settled into getting the fire and makeshift camp set up. She hoped he hadn't had any issues when out but from the look on his face he was in the clear. She felt he would have told her immediately if there was trouble.

"Thanks for getting the wood, cheeks." He said to her as they started roasting some food, "Saved me a headache."

"Hope I got enough." She said.

"How long did that take you?" he asked.

"I honestly have no clue." She admitted, "How long were you gone?"

"Little over an hour." He said, "I took a longer route home to avoid being followed just in case."

She nodded, "Then, probably less than that." She shrugged, "So no one saw you?"

He shook his head, "No one really took notice of me. I could count on my hands how many people were in that store."

She pulled her hot dog away from the fire and took a bite a bite only for him to grimace at her, "Is that even done?"

"It's precooked you know." She said in between bites.

"That's disgusting." He snorted, "Shitty Hair does that too."

She grimaced back, "I'm not into the char-grilled thing." She shrugged.

"You kidding? That's the best part." He smirked, taking out an almost black hot dog and taking a bite.

"You should probably know I also dip my french fries in milkshakes."

"You're sick." He snorted, "Do you at least clean the toothpaste off your sink?"

"You're supposed to do that?" she teased. He almost gave her a look but luckily realized she was kidding.

"Something tells me you're a neat freak." She said as she finished her hot dog.

"Nah, just civilized." He shrugged, getting ready to roast some more hot dogs, "My place is usually a mess but then again I'm hardly in it."

"Do you have an apartment?" she asked casually.

"Yep, nice and secluded top floor." He nodded.

"I'm in the top floor of my place too," she said, "But it's just a studio, much cheaper that way." She added.

"How do you even move around in your place," he asked, "Do you even have people over?"

"Sometimes, just not too many." She said as she finally snagged a marshmallow and stuffed one in her mouth before loading one onto her roasting stick.

"Any house pets?" he asked.

Her eyes widened, "Oh crap!"

He stared at her in shock when she admitted, "I was watching my friends' stupid fish."

"You're kidding me."

"Let's see, I fed it that morning. It's been, how many days? It could still be okay, right?" she asked him.

"I think you're going to have to buy your friend a new fish." He laughed with a snort.

"Don't laugh, "she said defensively with a hint of a giggle, "I have to buy a new fish!"

"Tell you what," he said after his snorting died down, "we can add that to the pot when we play, whoever loses buys a fish." He took out the deck and began shuffling as she finished eating her marshmallows, licking the sticky sugar off her fingers. He merely shoved one in his mouth and began dealing the cards.

"I have another idea." She said with a hint of playfulness, "Have you ever played strip poker?"

He almost choked on his marshmallow when she said that, "No, but I'm not turning that down."

She grinned and explained that instead of just money for the pot, it was an article of clothing.

"What happens if we run out of clothes?" he teased. To his surprise she answered him, "That's sex positions or dirty play."

"Then fuck, let's get this started." He said almost too excitedly.

As they began, it was innocent with socks, then shirts, and leading to pants. Before they knew it, they were sitting there in nothing but their underwear. He had a look of determination on his face, obviously hoping to get her completely naked and beat her. The things he could do to her he just couldn't wait to try.

She surprised him though, gaining the upper hand and glancing down at his crotch expectantly. He grumbled as she gave him a satisfied grin. But he wasn't through just yet. And as luck would have it, he played a strong hand in the next round and merely grinned sinisterly at her, "Take 'em off, cheeks."

She pouted at him and took off her bra and he almost stopped the game there, but his desire to beat her at poker outweighed his horniness so he kept going.

"Okay," she hummed innocently, holding her deck, "Guess all I have is dirty play options for the pot."

He raised his eyebrows expectantly, wondering just how kinky she could get.

"Blindfold." She said putting her hand down.

"Nice, but I'm going to need those panties first." He grinned as he placed his hand down triumphantly.

"Aw shit." She mumbled, realizing he got her that time and quickly removed her underwear. Both were now completely naked as they played and he knew she had to be watching his growing erection and he could care less as they both started placing their bets.

"Nipple play." He smirked.

She merely smiled back, "Doggie style."

He tapped his deck, "Head."

She raised her eyebrows at him, "Bondage."

Fuck, this was making his member very sore and it dawned on him why she was getting a little too confident and bold. She may be a little hot and bothered, but he was the one with a full mast and finding this almost irresistible to the point of need and desire and overtaking reason. She was definitely trying to throw him off his game, but he wasn't about to give her that satisfaction, "Outside." He said firmly.

"Too cold for that." She shook her head, "Should I start tying you up now or later?" she asked as she laid down a rather good hand.

He stared at her hand and then grinned, "Can't wait to see those tits get hard, babe, royal flush."

She looked shocked and threw her deck down and pouted, "Damn, I was sure I had that one!"

He laughed and collected the cards, tossing them aside before crawling dangerously towards her, "Hmm." He hummed seductively, "What am I going to do to you first?"

"I'm not going outside." She said defiantly and he chuckled before pulling her chin to give her a kiss.

"Alright, I'll give you that one," he agreed, "But I believe you owe me at least one of those requests."

She thought for a minute but then smiled, "Winners choice." She shrugged innocently.

God, she was too perfect. He pulled her back in to kiss her gently, distracting her as he grabbed something behind him.

She shrieked when he pinned her down on the ground and with rather swift hands he'd tied her wrists with his black t-shirt and lifted her arms over her head before reaching down to feel how wet she was getting. He leaned down towards her and her breath hitched when she felt him run his fingers along her opening like some toy, "I knew I wasn't the only one getting horny, cheeks." He commented as his fingers brushed against her slick opening, already dripping.

She gasped when he leaned down and took one of her nipples into his mouth, biting down before sucking it. Her back arched and she moaned as he began rubbing her other nipple with his other hand, keeping her arms locked above her.

"Damn, you're sweet." He whispered after releasing her nipple and making his way up to her neck, biting down and sucking as she cried out in pleasure. He smiled proudly at the marks he was making on her, kissing them as he continued to move up. Perhaps it was because they were in an abandoned house but she was making quite a bit of noise and he loved it.

"Someone's getting impatient." He teased.

She bit her lips and gasped as he played with her and took her lips in his, both enjoying every sensation. When he suddenly stopped, she gave him a disappointed and rather defiant look that pulled a small laugh from him, "You up for some real fun, angel face?" he asked her with raised eyebrows.

She merely narrowed her eyes at him and smiled determinedly.

To say they covered all their requests and then some was an understatement. Bakugo was completely spent as he finished for the second time that night. Uraraka, obviously at the brink of exhaustion herself, finally collapsed next to him. He caught his breath and stared at her in the firelight, her eyes misty and her body sweaty and covered in his marks. He too had a few spots she'd found when he wasn't paying attention and he didn't know if he'd ever gone this long on pure pleasure alone.

His hand found her face and he ran his finger down her cheek. Her hand found his and she finally closed her eyes contentedly, rolling to her side to come closer to him. He rubbed her head with his hand and sighed, feeling immense relief for the first time in years. He liked to think he had fun with the occasional hook up and had experimented with a few fetishes, but to have completed almost an entire evening with Uraraka was probably the most amazing experience he'd ever had. She was perfect in every way; her skin, her hair, her body, her determination and bravery, her gentleness. It was no wonder he was falling hard for her so fast.

His eyes shot open when he realized what he'd just thought, and he looked over to see her curled up in his arms sleeping soundly. He brushed some of her hair out of her eyes and smiled when he realized what he'd known for some time now. He planted a kiss on her head and promised himself that not only was he keeping her close as they faced certain danger, but he was never letting her go after that either; she was his.

…..

Bakugo was rudely awakened by the sound of vibrating and for a moment he got excited thinking Uraraka had a toy going off but realized that was horny mind being dumb and reached his hand out to find his phone. She groaned, still sleeping as he answered it in a tired voice, "What is it?" he asked sleepily.

"Hey, I know its late, but we wanted to run something by you." Midorya said on the other line.

"Better be good." He grumbled, sitting up carefully so he wouldn't wake Uraraka up. He rubbed his eyes and took note that it was only two in the morning, doing his best not to cuss out Midorya, he listened.

"Todoroki spoke with his dad and Iida was able to get in touch with his brother, both are on our side and spoke to the chief. They're going to help us get into town and interview Uraraka. With her statement and our evidence combined, we can nab this and take our pictures off the news."

"You really think this would work?" Bakugo asked, feeling skeptical.

"We trust them, not only that, they hold positions of power and can influence others to battle what's to come." Midorya explained.

"So when do we come in?" he asked groggily, wanting to go back to sleep and not think about this crazy plan.

"Try to get to the city tomorrow evening, Uraraka's parents are staying at a hotel and its being guarded by Yagi and Todoroki's finest guards. You both will be safe there and she can be interviewed in a controlled environment."

Bakugo looked down at Uraraka who slept soundly, curled up under a blanket, her naked body glinting as the fire continued to burn slowly. He knew she'd want to see her parents, and between Todoroki's dad and the chief, there was no way anyone would touch them.

"Why didn't they reach out sooner?" he asked.

"It was risky for them too," Midorya explained, "Iida had to contact his brother on a pay phone outside of where they're hiding. Todoroki's father contacted him on a totally separate line. They're on our side and they're ready to help, but they need Uraraka to give a statement and ID some faces in person."

He sighed, "Okay, we'll leave tomorrow first thing, send me the coordinates."

"Be careful, Kaachan." Midorya said before hanging up.

As relieved as he felt about finally getting some backup, he really was nervous about getting Uraraka into the city. Here at least he knew it was just him and her but now he had to account for others trying to get to her.

He laid back down and looked at her for a moment. He wanted to tell her everything, he wanted to tell her he wasn't letting her go and he wasn't going to stop having these feelings. Yes, they'd had some fun, but it meant more to him and he understood that now. He closed his eyes and found her hand to hold, running his thumb along her fingers, "We're going home, angel." He sighed before succumbing to sleep.

….

Uraraka heard her name and woke to the sound of Bakugo telling her to wake up. She groaned and finally sat up. She noticed he was getting dressed and she wondered if something had happened.

"Good news, we're finally out of here." He smiled at her grimly, "Bad news is we got to make it there in one piece."

Her stomach began to twist into knots and she swallowed as she found her clothes to start putting on. She was distracted and lost in thought as she did this when she heard him speak again, "You're parents are okay and we're seeing them tonight."

She stared at him and tears came to her eyes, "I'm seeing my parents?" she gasped, hand going to her mouth.

He smiled and nodded.

"Oh my God." She breathed with a relieved smile.

He felt glad she had some hope now and didn't have to worry about her parents. It would keep her motivated and strong as they made their way to the destination. He grabbed the rest of the food and bags as she checked to be sure the fire was completely out and threw the blankets they'd used across the room.

Heading out, she had to zip up her jacket and keep from getting frozen. He put on his helmet and she did the same, watching patiently as morning dew clung to her sneakers and the sound of birds waking up chirped around them.

She got on his bike and didn't know if she was more excited to leave, go home, or to see her parents. And yet, as he started the bike and she held onto him, she grew sad. Once this was over, both of them would depart. She had to admit her time with him had been amazing and the things they did last night made her blush and feel invigorated like never before. But it was over after this. She wanted it to keep going but she knew deep down, he would go back to his life as a cop, she would figure out her next move. Maybe they would still be friends but, something told her she wouldn't see him ever again. She felt the bike take off and held onto him a little tighter, but not because she was nervous. It was because she was scared to let him go.

…..

Bakugo was impressed that getting into town was easy, and he had a feeling it was due to being on a bike with her. Everyone would be looking at suspicious cars or trucks, but to have a witness to a murder crime on the back of a bike with nothing more than a jacket and helmet, it definitely threw a curveball.

He had to admit it felt surreal being back in town again after days of being on the run and in hiding. Once this was over he couldn't wait to sleep in his own bed, but mostly, he wanted a certain someone in that bed with him. She'd been quiet the whole way there and he knew she was just really anxious to see her parents and he couldn't blame her.

He turned down the street and found the destination and quickly drove the bike to an underground parking garage. She was almost off before he was and he had to keep her calm and rational before she rushed into anything.

"Keep the helmet on, okay pink cheeks?" he told her firmly.

She nodded and he grabbed the duffel from his side compartment and checked his holsters to be sure his gun was accessible. He held a hand to her waist, leading her to the doors but checked first before taking her inside. He then went to an intercom in front of some metal doors and pressed the button.

To her surprise the doors opened silently and he led her inside to an elevator shaft. She wanted to take off her helmet now but he told her to wait. Once on the twelfth floor, the doors opened and he stayed in front of her before being met by Todoroki.

"All clear Icy Hot?" he asked him gruffly.

Todoroki nodded and she finally took off her helmet as they walked into a giant penthouse. She gave him her helmet and removed her jacket when she heard two familiar voices.

"Ochako!" her mother cried.

She turned to see her parents getting up from a couch, both already in tears. She didn't waste any time rushing to them so they could hold her. The feeling of being held by them almost broke her completely but happiness and relief overwhelmed her thankfully.

"Are you okay?" her father asked with concern, holding her tight, "We were so worried."

"I know, I was worried too." She told him, trying to hold back from breaking down, "I'm fine."

They took a look at her face and she knew they could see just a part of damage that was done to her and she hated worrying them, she decided to get the focus off of her and then turned to Todoroki and Bakugo, both smiling politely.

"The detectives have been wonderful," she reassured them, "Detective Bakugo was the one who kept me safe."

"Thank you!" her father said, almost breaking down himself as he extended a hand to Bakugo, "Thank you for keeping my little girl safe."

Bakugo nodded respectfully and shook his hand as her mother actually ended up hugging him, much to his surprise.

"All of you, thank you!" her mother gushed as she held Uraraka's hand.

"Sadly it's not over just yet." Todoroki said, "But once Uraraka's given her statement and pointed out the suspects, this will finally be resolved."

Her mother nodded sadly and pulled Uraraka down to the couch to sit with her, "They told us what they could, sweetie, and I know you've been through so much, are you sure you're okay doing this?"

"Your mother's right," her father said, sitting on her other side, "You were barely able to recover in the hospital-"

She held up her hands, "It's okay, dad, I promise, I'm going to be fine. Once I do this, we can all go home." She promised with a small smile.

"Detectives," Her mother asked kindly, "Is it alright if we just have some time with her? Just to get up to speed."

Todoroki nodded and Bakugo wanted to refuse but also did not want to intrude something so private as this. As much as he hated not being acknowledged by her for a second, he knew she needed this time with her parents and he wouldn't deny her that. He trusted that if there was trouble or if she needed him, he would be in the next room and she would come to him.

With a curt nod, he followed Todoroki into the other room, looking one last time to see that Uraraka was crying and being held by her mother, her father comforting them both. He turned and finally sat down at a table as Todoroki grabbed him a beer, "How was it getting here?" he asked him.

Bakugo shrugged, taking a swig of beer before answering "Smooth for once."

"Where'd you end up hiding?"

"Old place of my families." He said, "Abandoned."

He took a long pent up breath he'd been holding, "How is it at the station?"

"Wouldn't know, but from what I'm gathering, a lot of people are divided over there, it's practically chaos."

"Anarchy." Bakugo nodded.

"Yeah." Todoroki said bitterly.

Midorya came into the room just then, followed by the chief and Todoroki's father. Although both parties never got along half the time, they were still comrads and everyone knew they had a deep respect for one another. Bakugo normally didn't trust people, especially the higher ups, but these two, he'd learned pretty quickly that they were the real deal.

"Is she here?" Midorya asked him.

He nodded and motioned to the other room, "Giving her and her parents some space."

"That's fine," Yagi said with a sad smile. He looked worn down and Bakugo knew why. To be under all this pressure in the city and having someone try and target your own precinct was bad enough, but to hurt people just to try and prove a point was monstrous. Todoroki's father looked as he always did; annoyed.

From what Bakugo had gathered over the years, Icy Hot hated his old man but he also respected his work ethic. They hardly said a word to eachother but when push came to shove, he knew what was most important and set aside his bitterness to do what was right.

"We're going to talk to you both alone," Yagi said, "Especially about the events at the cabin and after."

Bakugo didn't exactly like the thought of seeing her do this alone but he knew they didn't have a choice and it needed to be done. At the end of the day, this was his job. As much as he cared about her on a deep and personal level, he was first and foremost a detective.

"Let me go first." He said gruffly, "Give her more time with her parents."

"I agree." Yagi said with a nod and motioned for him to follow. Bakugo was taken into a smaller room with two couches and a coffee table in between. He sat down and sighed, leaning against the back and crossing his arms, "Alright, let's get this over with." He nodded.

….

Uraraka felt so much warmth and didn't want to let it go, but she knew any minute now she had to go into another room and relive everything that had happened to her in the past few days.

She'd tried to tell her parents as much as she could but held back from saying too much for fear of them getting upset. For now, she just wanted them to hold her.

They heard the door open and Bakugo came out then, "Hey, they're ready for you, kid." He said.

She sighed and gave her parents one last hug before getting up and smiling encouragingly, "I'll be back before you know it." She said.

They nodded back, giving her encouraging smiles as she walked towards Bakugo and followed him to the other room. Before he opened the door for her, he squeezed her hand tightly for a few seconds and gave her a swift nod and smile. She smiled back and took a breath before going in. She knew it would be rough and she knew she had to face everything all over again, but if this was going to stop those criminals, then she was going to see it through. All the faces who'd been affected flashed before her eyes, her friends, her parents, the detectives, and Bakugo. She had to keep going and she wasn't going to stop there. Even if it meant court, she would keep going. They were not going to win, not anymore.

….

Kirishima and Iida entered the station looking smug. They were escorted by Iida's older brother and as they passed by many officers, it became clear who were enemies and who were not. Not only that, they brought backup and planned to arrest a lot of dirty cops.

Thanks to Kirishima's computer skills and getting names of people who sent information to others, not to mention Bakugo and Uraraka's statements, nabbing them was easy and satisfying. It felt like the precinct was almost empty and Iida had to admit it was hard knowing people he trusted and worked with were actually criminals underneath it all.

But this was just the first step, they still had to get to the source and find the ones who'd committed the murders and that wouldn't be easy.

Uraraka and Bakugo came in with Midorya, Todoroki, his father and Chief Yagi. They all felt vindicated and Uraraka was ready to identify who she could in a lineup as would they. They were still in the process of locating a lot of people but at least they had their precinct back.

It wasn't until Captain One was finally dragged in wearing handcuffs that it became very tense. He glared at Yagi who responded in kind and everyone knew that this was now their fight. Todoroki's father merely escorted the chief as backup but they all knew who would win this fight but it would be intense and they all had to be on their guard.

Uraraka waited with Bakugo in a locked room. Both had changed at that point, her in some jeans and a nice pink blouse while he wore a white dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up and black slacks. For once she was seeing the professional side of him as he answered calls and talked with other officers, his guns and badge a very prominent part of his wardrobe.

Uraraka was for once feeling normal. Seeing her parents and watching so many bad people get taken away for crimes against her friends and this city was a welcome relief. She sat curled on the couch and became lost in thought as Bakugo continued to pace and talk on the phone. She imagined for a moment, leaving this place, sending those creeps to prison. She imagined going home with her parents, seeing her apartment for the first time in days, maybe finding a not so dead goldfish. Seeing her friends and having drinks with them again, going back to work.

She frowned when she realized that among many other decisions she had to make, going back to work was one of them. She didn't know what to expect and if she even still had a job at this point. What would she do without any income? And then there was Bakugo, would she ever see him again?

She suddenly felt a poke on her nose and looked up to see Bakugo grinning down at her, "You look ready to pop, pink cheeks."

She sighed and waved the thoughts away, "It's nothing, just work stuff." She admitted.

"Are you seriously thinking about work right now? You are a nerd." He scoffed, sitting down at the opposite end of the couch and watching her curiously.

"Not like that." She defended, "Just, if I even have one, you know?"

"I'm sure they'd let you back, I mean it's not exactly your fault you missed a few days." He raised his eyebrows.

"I just don't even know if I can go back. But if I don't I can't exactly afford to live or eat and you know I kind of need those things." She chuckled, but stopped herself, "What will people think of me." She pondered aloud, envisioning other coworkers, constantly looking at her as the one who survived, the one who saw it all, the brave one or the hurt one. She would no longer have an identity but that.

He seemed to read her mind, "You can't stop people from judging you, so you can either face it head on or go your own way."

She looked over at him, "How is it you always have good advice?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm actually pretty smart." He teased.

"No!" she teased back dramatically, "You?"

He snorted but then grew more serious, "Something tells me that's not the only thing you're thinking about."

"Wow, you are a good detective." She said sarcastically with a giggle, "But, honestly, it's not something I'm ready to think about so, I'll just keep that one to myself. But, thanks." She nodded.

He gave her a puzzling look that she couldn't quite figure out before nodding understandingly.

She heard an intercom go off and nearly jumped, "Bakugo, we need you in the examination room."

He rolled his eyes and got up, "Hang tight, I'm sending someone in here."

She nodded and decided it was a good time to collect her thoughts without him trying to read her mind. She was not ready to think about what would happen once this was over and where they both would end up. She wasn't ready to ask him yet and she definitely wasn't ready to know what he'd say.

She closed her eyes for a moment as someone opened the door and walked in. She opened them in time to see a face she didn't recognize at first, but when she did, she was too late to cry out for help.

…..

Bakugo walked into the examination room to see his whole team plus Yagi and Todoroki's father.

"No confession yet." Yagi informed him, his tie loosened and looking a little tired "But we found a few suspects and want to know if either you or Uraraka are ready to ID anyone."

"Sure, let me go get her." Bakugo said before rushing out, realizing that even though it was only for a few minutes, she was still completely alone. He unlocked the door and froze when he saw it was empty. His stomach dropped and he rushed inside, hoping that maybe she was just hiding in a corner or something.

He began to panic as he called her name and rushed out to see if she'd maybe gone to a restroom when he heard his cell phone buzz. He answered.

"You want her alive?" an eerie voice said on the other line, "nine o clock tonight, we're sending coordinates, if we hear backup coming, we kill her."

"I swear to fucking God, if you touch her-" he growled.

The phone went dead and he nearly threw it across the room but instead gripped it tight before roaring with rage.


	9. Plus Ultra

Chapter 9-Plus Ultra

Trigger Warning: Violence

Uraraka remembered seeing that haunted face coming towards her, clouding her vision before everything went completely dark.

Now she awoke, her head throbbing and her arms bound tightly behind her as she sat helplessly in a wooden chair. She had to keep from panicking as opened her eyes and steadied her breathing. She felt ringing in her ears only to realize it wasn't really her ears and turned her head to see a shadowy figure talking huskily over the phone in a gruff voice.

"You're awake." A chilling voice said right next to her and she jumped as cold red eyes stared at her in the darkened room. Eyes that she vividly remembered, illuminated by his pale skin and taut features. He smiled a toothy grin that stretched his cheeks and she cringed, trying to hide the bile from rising in her throat. She tried to wiggle her arms but could barely move and grunted in frustration.

"I'm so glad we finally get to see each other again." He said in a menacing tone that made her shiver.

She tried moving her arms harder to get away when she felt a hand behind her head, gripping her hair tightly "Don't make me knock you out again." The voice said harshly.

She turned to see the coldest, darkest eyes she'd ever seen. He was even more terrifying than the pale man. He was tall, bent over like some god of death, a mask over his face, and a wide toothed grin that sent a chill down her spine.

He released her hair and brushed some of it from her face, his fingers cold and icy, "So you're the little bitch who ruined all our plans." He said, clicking his tongue, "What a shame, you are a pretty one too."

She glared at him, trying to steady her breathing, "Your plan failed and all of you are going to jail." She said through gritted teeth, "You couldn't kill me then I'd like to see you try now."

"I got to say I like the spunk." He said sinisterly as he continued to play with her hair, twirling it in his fingers, "We're going to have some fun with you."

"Do what you want, there's no way in hell I'm giving you that satisfaction." She spat.

"You might want to watch your tone," The pale one said on her other side, getting down to her level, "Don't you know who you're speaking to?"

She didn't want to know, and her thoughts turned to Bakugo, wondering how he would handle this situation, "Don't care." She shrugged, hoping to hide the shake in her voice.

The man in the mask merely chuckled, "I'm sure she has no clue about me, Shigaraki, but where are my manners," he smiled, "I'm known as Stain."

She remembered that name very clearly, she knew what he was. But she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, "Never heard of you." She scoffed, looking away.

"Bet that cop boyfriend of yours knows." He spat, "Once he gets here, I'm going to so enjoy licking the blood off his body."

She began to shake then.

"But don't worry," he added, "I'll make sure he sees you before he dies, or at least, sees what I plan to do with you."

"He won't fall for it, any of it." She said defensively, "He's smarter than all of you combined."

"All cops are idiots." Stain replied with some venom in his voice, "Self-righteous bastards, all of them."

"Oh, and killing innocent people isn't self-righteous either?" she nearly yelled.

"No one is innocent." Shigaraki cut in, his hand suddenly gripping her arm in a bruising grip, "Not even you, I know it was you who killed my Toga."

She glared at him, now having a name to the crazy woman who'd chased her in the woods. She now knew his name too, the one who picked innocent people, her friends, to kill.

"I'm not sorry for what I did." She admitted angrily to him, "You and her, and all your little friends killed innocent people who didn't deserve to die! I'd kill her all over again if I had the chance."

"I should have crushed your skull in." he replied with a tinge of madness, tightening his grip on her arm viciously.

"Why didn't you, then?" she winced, gritting her teeth and holding back tears.

"Call it a distraction but your little buddies got there before we could finish." Shigaraki admitted with a hint of annoyance.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you tortured and killed all my friends." She cried out, "This whole thing is over, we have your leader in jail, all your cop friends are out of that police station and Bakugo is going to find me and when he does, I can't wait to watch him destroy you."

Shigaraki released her arm only to reach out and wrap his clammy hand around her throat, tightening his fingers, hissing angrily, "Here's the thing about your little Bakugo," he said coldly as she gasped for air, "he may seem tough, but he has a weakness and that weakness is you. So, enjoy being alive for now, pretend all you want that he'll come in here like a little hero to save you, but I intend to make sure we break him before putting him down like some dog. Same goes for all his little friends."

He released her and she coughed, her body shaking from cold and panic now. Stain stood over her then and put a hand on her shoulder as he walked behind her, leaning down to tell her in a dark voice, "It's going to be sad for you, knowing you're the reason he's going to die tonight. So, if I were you, I'd play nice."

She shook her head but before she could yell, she was gagged from behind. She struggled with all her might to fight them but eventually, she felt the blow to her head and saw darkness with the final image of Bakugo covered in blood.

…

Bakugo paced anxiously around the room as everyone spoke. Personally, he didn't need any of them or a plan, he only had one thing on his mind; kill them all.

"Maybe if we can get snipers- "Iida suggested but Bakugo stopped him angrily.

"Did you not just hear me?! They will kill her if I bring backup. The plan is simple, I go in, get her out and then I'll waste them all."

"Bakugo, there's no way you can do that alone and do you really think they'd just let Uraraka go?" Kirishima said, trying to keep his friend calm.

"He's right, there's nothing from stopping them from killing you both on the spot." Todoroki nodded, "They're going to use her against you."

He knew that, he already knew that but, in his head, all he could see was them putting their filthy hands on her and it made him want to explode.

"We're going to get her out and we're doing it with a plan." Midorya said firmly, "We know what Stain is capable of and we know what kind of psychopaths we're dealing with, so we have that much on our side."

"Try to remember what Uraraka said when we interviewed her." Iida nodded, "Each of them had a method of choice, that says something about them. What could we do to counteract it?"

"What if just the five of us go?" Midorya suddenly pointed out, "Think about it, it's not backup, and it's more cops to kill for them, or so they think."

"I'm not risking that." Bakugo shook his head.

"What if we give them that temptation." Todoroki said, "You mentioned they were going to call with coordinates, tell them how many of us are coming, tell them who is coming."

"It'll sweeten the pot." He breathed and had to nod, "You're right, they want us dead, all of us in this room. Just like at that building."

"We can go unarmed," Midorya said, "It's not like we don't have combat training, plus, we know their style isn't guns."

"All the better for me to smash their face in." he muttered, finally starting to formulate a plan.

Chief Yagi stepped forward then looking determined and worried, "I should be the one going, it's me they really want."

"No," Midorya stopped him, "Think about it, we're the team that found them out, saved Uraraka and kept her safe. We're the ones they want."

"They have a point." Todoroki's father sighed, "These criminals believe everyone in this room will do anything to save that girl which includes no back up."

"But we can't let them go without- "Yagi argued.

"No backup!" Bakugo shouted, "No, it has to be us. I hate agreeing with the nerd, but he's right on this one."

Yagi shook his head in frustration but Kirishima came forward, "Chief, we got this. We have the upper hand here." Kirishima said, "They may think we're just some naïve hero detectives, but each of us has more than they realize and that's what they won't see coming."

"They know we'll be giving you the coordinates, but they also know we'd do what it took to keep Uraraka safe." Midorya agreed, "You two just be ready when the time is right."

"You boys really think you can take these criminals down bare handed?" Yagi asked, a hint of pride and worry in his voice.

Bakugo grinned maliciously, "Fuck yes."

…

They all suited up, wearing bullet proof vests under their shirts but no guns or badges. Each of them ready to go in without any firearms or weapons, not that they needed them to do what they needed to do.

They parked at the gate of an old warehouse and got out.

"How cliché is this?" Kirishima snorted as they all threw their jackets in the car, "Abandoned warehouse outside of town?"

"Be ready for anything." Iida said firmly as they walked past the gate together, hands out and exposed to show whoever might be watching that they were unarmed. They knew what kind of ambush was waiting for them. They knew this was obviously a trap for them and that anything could happen. But the biggest mistake these criminals made were underestimating just who showed up and pulling Uraraka into the mix only made them all more deadly.

Iida walked up to the large metal doors and pounded on it loudly.

They kept their hands up to show they were unarmed and willing to come in peacefully as it opened with a rusty squeak. They walked into the darkened place, the only sounds were from dripping pipes or wind howling outside. They each were patted down suddenly but they expected it, keeping their hands up.

"They're clean." Someone behind Midorya yelled into the dark and they were shoved forward, relaxing their hands. Each taking note of all the footsteps coming from around them. Todoroki at one point motioned for them to look up and they knew they were basically surrounded at this point; not that they worried about it.

"You all must be pretty stupid or desperate to come unarmed like this." A chilling voice said from the front of the room, "I'm touched."

"Just give us Uraraka, we'll let her go and then we can settle this ourselves." Iida commanded.

Suddenly, a tall figure wearing tattered bandages, dirty clothes, and a mask stepped forward into the moonlit space. They didn't need to guess who it was; he was notorious to every cop in the city; this was the cop killer, Stain.

"I don't know whether to be impressed or pissed off." Stain admitted loudly in a sneering voice, "But you did keep your word and came unarmed without backup, so she can live for now."

"Where is she?" Bakugo growled.

Stain gave him a nasty smile, "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."

"Then how do we know you kept your end of the bargain?" Midorya stated, "Or are you just as corrupt as you think we are?"

That hit a nerve with Stain and he finally snapped his fingers. Two men came out holding Uraraka who was fighting and grunting to get away. She'd been gagged and her hands bound in front of her. When she saw Bakugo, she froze, and tears came to her eyes.

He stared into her eyes, willing her to understand that no matter what happened, he was going to save her. He could tell she was terrified and not just for herself but for them. He had to keep her levelheaded just as he had to keep himself from rushing those guys right now. They had a plan, and even though he was impulsive and itching to shed some blood, he cared more about her than to risk it.

His hands shook involuntarily, and he felt Kirishima's hand on his shoulder briefly, bringing him back to the present.

"See," Stain said, advancing on Uraraka who was trying to avoid his touch and glaring at him, "She's been a little angel this whole time."

Bakugo had just about had it but Kirishima clutched his shoulder this time and gave him a look.

"Okay, let her go then." Iida said calmly but with a hint of anger in his voice.

Stain laughed suddenly, "I'm sorry but where did I ever say I would let her go? I merely said she could live."

Bakugo stepped forward then, "I'm giving you to the count of ten scum. And if she's not over here by then, I'm going to have fun ripping you to shreds."

"Oh, sorry that's my job!" The chilling voice from earlier stepped forward, his pale figure was only made more ghostly with the black he wore, his silver hair messy and covering most of his face.

"Like to see you try that." Kirishima glared.

"But you've already seen our handiwork!" the pale man said, "Dabi's incredible ability to burn, Toga, may she rest in peace, the craftsmanship on her knifework, and Muscular over here had a great time bashing a few faces in."

"Don't count yourself out Shigaraki." Stain merely grinned, "I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful tearing of limbs."

"Would you like us to demonstrate?" Muscular sneered as he clutched Uraraka tightly, "We didn't exactly show our best work on this one."

"You're not touching her." Bakugo warned.

Without warning, he jammed his elbow sharply into her ribs. She screamed from behind her gag in pain and doubled over, shaking.

"You son of a bitch!" Bakugo roared, rushing forward only to be stopped when the other scumbag holding onto her arm held a knife to her throat. She had tears in her eyes as she stared helplessly at him.

"Touya, stop!" Todoroki yelled, "You don't have to do this, you were a good cop!"

Dabi merely glared at Todoroki and pushed the knife further into her throat, nearly drawing blood, "You of all people, Shouto, should know by now that I don't give a fuck about where I came from."

"This is getting out of hand!" Iida said calmly, "Please, we will gladly do whatever it is you need, but let her go, she's been through enough."

"Nah, I think we'll enjoy her a little more," Stain sneered as he brushed hair from her face causing her to cringe, "There's a few more creative ideas we'd love to try and she's a perfect candidate."

"I'm sick of this, let's go." Bakugo said, steadying his legs and standing firm, "Who wants the first punch?"

The others began to get ready as well, the criminals laughed around them.

Dabi let her go and walked forward, twirling the knife in his hands, "Boss, I think these morons actually believe they can take us."

They had no idea.

One of the criminals jumped down to the floor in front of Kirishima to try and get the drop on him, but Kirishima had already blocked while Midorya delivered a swift punch to the guys throat, knocking him down in seconds.

Bakugo grinned up at Stain with a malicious look in his eyes, "Damn Deku, I wanted the first punch." He grumbled.

His team came up beside him and waited as more criminals advanced on them, circling around. It was a mistake to try and keep them together though. And they were about to find that out the hard way.

"Been a pleasure, men." Iida said as they stood waiting, watching their opponents advancing on them, ready to strike when the time was right.

"The minute there's an opening, Bakugo, you run to Uraraka." Midorya said quietly to him.

"Like I wasn't doing that already, Deku." He sneered angrily as one of the criminals advanced on him. He hardly blinked as he dodged the blow, grabbed the creeps arm holding the knife meant for his chest, and twisting it so violently the sound of bones breaking echoed around them. The man screamed as Bakugo finished the move by breaking the arm further and pushing his elbow down forcefully and throwing the criminal to the ground.

It wasn't widely known to everyone on the force just how powerful this team was. Each of them came from backgrounds where they had to train hard, fight dirty, and problem solve like pros. Only the five of them knew exactly what each was capable of, making them a deadly combination for any idiot who dared try anything.

Iida may be the leading figure of the group, his glasses giving him a look that he was more talk than fight, but many forgot how quick he was on his feet if they weren't paying attention. He'd never lost a runner in his life due to his speed and these criminals were going to have to think fast going up against him.

Kirishima was very strong, and looked it, but when he was on the defensive, he was almost unstoppable. He could take punches that normally knocked someone down and when he was on the offensive, whoever was in the way was due for a real beat down.

Midorya may look skinny in weak to those who don't look close enough, be he was the one who trained the hardest and became one of the deadliest fighters in his team. Even Bakugo had lost fights against him when sparring. Not only was he strong, he was fast, and his ability to coordinate his fights were insane, making him a terrifying opponent to face.

Todoroki, though calm and quiet, was deadly with combat and could strike at any moment without even getting a scratch. He'd been trained to fight since birth and won countless competitions due to speed, precision, strength, and skill alone. The minute his eyes grew cold, anyone fighting him would regret trying it in the first place.

And then Bakugo, he wasn't just talk when it came to combat, he was deadly. Like Midorya, he could predict what others would do and counteract easily. He mostly discovered this by messing with his opponents, finding their strengths and weaknesses, watching them until he was ready to take the final shot. When he fought, he fought to win no matter the costs.

Each criminal that came up against them was finding out the hard way why they were so confident to come alone and unarmed and they almost laughed at how easy it was.

Even Dabi, who'd squared up against his own brother through the years, teaching him, was not prepared for Shouto's deadly precision. And for Todoroki, he didn't care that Dabi was his brother, he wasn't about to lose this fight tonight and if it meant his brother's life, so be it.

Bakugo was finally given an opening, Kirishima egging him on and he took it, dodging more blows and sending creeps flying. He almost paused when he saw that Stain was gone and so was Uraraka but that only fueled him to keep running to an open hallway, leaving his team to fight; not that he worried about them.

The hallway was pitch black with rows of doors on either side. It was creepy but he never shied from a challenge and he was determined to find her. He stayed on his guard as he pulled out a small flashlight and shone it down the hallway and began walking carefully. His foot hit something metallic that rolled, and he picked it up without hesitation, a rusty pipe was easily a good weapon.

He listened for any sounds out of the ordinary and began kicking in doors, "Uraraka?" he called, "Say something angel face!"

He heard nothing but that didn't mean she wasn't nearby as he continued kicking down doors. He felt his paranoia growing with each kick and bang, but he focused on finding her, listening for her.

He kicked open and door and noticed that it was a stairwell. He went into it and listened. His heart pounded faster when he heard it; a muffled cry from above him. He shone the light up the stairs but didn't see anything. He ran swiftly up the steps, willing her to keep calling for him so he could find her and kill Stain. He paused when just two stories above him, he heard a door slam.

He raced up and kicked in the door to see a very dark room. He shone his light ahead of him but saw nothing. He advanced slowly into the room and heard shuffling in the corner, he turned and shone his light on Uraraka who was huddled there trying to break free. He made to go to her when her eyes widened, and she began crying.

He grunted in pain the minute he felt the blade pierce his left shoulder, twisting violently before being pulled out.

His flashlight fell but he knew where his opponent was and jammed the pipe into his skull. He heard Stain cry out, but he wasn't dead yet. Blood pooled down his back, but he forced himself to keep fighting.

He heard laughter and then a loud crack. He rushed to the sound but then froze when the sound of glass breaking behind him made him pause and he turned to see Stain had distracted him and had Uraraka back in his grasp, pulling her towards the now open window.

He rushed over right as Stain shoved her outside and he dove to grab her hand, just in time. He clutched her arms and tried to pull her up, his shoulder screaming in pain, "Don't let go, pink cheeks." He coughed, lifting her painfully. He knew it was a long drop that would kill her if he didn't stay alive long enough to get her back up.

He was close though, using whatever strength he had left, her bound bands gripping his arms for dear life when he felt another stab of pain into his back and cried out. Uraraka was crying behind her gag and did what she could to lift herself up. Stain was chuckling as she managed to get her arms up over the ledge and pull herself up weakly.

Stain kneeled and gripped her hair, pulling her up to face him. He turned to Bakugo who was coughing up blood, keeping his hand on Uraraka's arm weakly losing strength.

"Say goodbye to your little angel." Stain teased him menacingly.

Uraraka glared and saw the glint in the moonlight, a knife near his torso. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and stabbed him in the chest with enough force to send him back and drop her. She caught herself again, forcing herself to stand up and rush at him, delivering a blow to his crotch before finding the lead pipe and knocking him out.

She turned and cut her bonds quickly with the knife and removed her gag before turning her attention to Bakugo. He was now covered in so much blood, his body growing pale and his eyes closing.

She held his face in her hands and sobbed his name repeatedly, willing him to stay alive. She needed help fast.

"Help!" she cried out, "Help!"

"S'okay angel face." He mumbled, softly as he lay there in her arms.

"No, I'm not watching you die too, you stay with me damnit!" she yelled.

He smiled weakly and reached up to hold her face one last time, "That's my line."

His hand fell and she screamed angrily and in anguish. She hadn't even noticed that both Todoroki and Midorya had found them. It took everything they had to get her off him.

Midorya held her to his chest as he watched sadly the scene unfolding. Back up had arrived, arresting multiple crooks. Bakugo was air flighted to the nearest hospital, and Uraraka was in so much shock he wasn't sure she was able to comprehend what was going on around her.

She managed to get into a car with them as they all raced to the hospital, each of them silent and praying to whoever was listening that Bakugo would pull through.

She held Midorya's hand tightly as they walked into the waiting room and sat. To anyone passing by it would be considered loud and chaotic there but to all of them, it was deathly quiet and still as time moved quickly around them.

Uraraka recalled everything in the past few days, every second with Bakugo, every kiss, every touch. She never even got to tell him thank you or at least explain her feelings to him. She hated herself for losing him just like she lost her friends and she finally broke down into her hands as Midorya rubbed her back comfortingly.

What felt like ages passed and a doctor came out to find them. They all stood and walked over to him, hearts pounding and holding their breath.

To their relief, the doctor smiled tiredly, "He's going to pull through. He's definitely a fighter."

Uraraka collapsed onto the ground, clutching her heart, feeling intense relief and joy knowing he was okay.

"However," the doctor continued as Midorya and Todoroki got down to help her, "he may not wake up for some time. There's a lot of blood loss and damage. He's going to be here for a while."

Everyone seemed to catch their breath as Iida nodded firmly, "Do everything you can for him."

The doctor nodded back. Everyone was now kneeling on the floor with her as she sobbed into her hand.

"He's going to be okay." Kirishima said with a smile in his voice.

"That's Kaachan for you." Midorya smiled widely, "It's finally over Uraraka."

She pulled him in for a tight hug and for once in the past few days since her nightmare began, she truly felt it was over.


	10. Ending

Two Weeks Later

She sat patiently by his bed, the light from outside shining in. He didn't look like the Bakugo she'd come to know. He had bandages on his face and his eyes were closed, like he was sleeping peacefully. It had been two weeks and he hadn't been responsive. He was being fed through a tube and given oxygen which kept him alive and stable, but still, he lay there motionless.

She put a hand on his and clutched the note she'd written for him in another. Those three days had been hell for her. She'd watched as multiple people went to jail, families mourned their loved ones, and avoided questions as people passed her in the street or followed her home.

Through it all though, she hated not being able to stay here with him. She wanted to be here when he woke up and wanted so badly to stay in his life. But she'd made up her mind and was going through with her plan.

She made sure in the note to tell him how much she cared and appreciated him for what he did, that he was a hero to her. But she had to leave and couldn't come back. He would understand and move on just like she would.

She wiped her eyes and laid the note into his hand and closed his fist around it. She then leaned down to give him a final kiss on the forehead, "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

…

Uraraka went straight from the hospital to an office space below where she used to work. She was surrounded by managers and CEO's of her company who had extended her a job offer after everything she'd been through. She'd unfortunately declined.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay on board?" her boss asked her kindly, "We truly value all the work you put in here and your bravery through this whole thing."

She held her hands in her lap and sadly looked up at them, "I appreciate all the experience I've had here, but I think it would just be too hard for me to continue."

"We understand," Another manager said across the table, "Though we would have loved to have seen you move up in our company. If you ever need any references or wish to return, don't hesitate to call us."

They all stood and shook hands all giving her sympathetic smiles.

She finally turned to leave this place behind her. She hadn't even bothered to look around upstairs to check her desk. She avoided all the stares she got and ignored the whispers around her as she rushed to the elevator to get out.

She knew the second she set foot back in this building, all the nightmares, all the pity, all the constant reminders would kill her slowly and she wasn't going to go on like this. Bakugo wouldn't want her to either.

She buttoned her jacket and walked slowly towards her apartment building, staring down and ignoring the rush around her as she stayed lost in her thoughts and feelings of worthlessness. It felt like vertigo, like she was moving but time was standing still, and it wasn't really her moving.

By the time she got to her place, she was shocked to find a visitor.

"Hey Uraraka." Midorya waved.

"Hey." She smiled weakly as she opened the door to let him in.

Midorya took in all the boxes and realized that what he had guessed was coming true; she was leaving, "So you decided to go stay with your parents?" he asked her.

She nodded, looking around at the array of half packed things and garbage bags.

"Are you sure?" he asked her sadly.

"It just doesn't feel right." She admitted, "Besides I can't exactly afford rent without a job."

He nodded in understanding but still hated to see her leave. They'd spoken a lot as friends over the past two weeks, he and the others were always checking on her and updating her on Bakugo's condition. But as the days went by, even they could see how much weight she lost, how sunken she looked, and how empty she seemed. They were in a sense relieved she could go be with her parents and try to get her life back in order.

"Listen, if you need anything or just want us to visit, you can call us anytime." He smiled at her.

"Thanks, Deku." She smiled, glad he allowed her to call him by Bakugo's nickname for him.

He gave her a long hug and wished he could will her to stay and hold on just a little longer, but he knew the more she stayed the worse it would be. She had to go, and they had to accept that.

"Listen, do me a favor." She said as she walked him to the door.

He turned and smiled.

"If he wakes up, could you tell him for me that I'm sorry and that I hope he's okay." She nearly cried.

He hugged her once more, "I promise I will."

…..

Three Months Later

"Uraraka, did you finish setting up that shelf?" Tsu asked from across the store.

"Almost!" Uraraka called back as she went over to the bookshelf with the box of books to be set out.

Since coming home, her parents had helped her get back to a healthy weight, sleeping soundly, and finding a job. Thanks to her best friend, Tsu, she was now working a quiet job at the local bookstore and found the work satisfying. It distracted her from thinking about everything that had turned her life upside down. It was quiet, quaint, and full of nice people. For once she felt her life getting back on track. And yet, she still felt empty. She knew what the cause was but also knew she could never have it back, so it was best to adjust to the feeling than dwell on it.

"My shift is almost over; did you need anything?" Tsu called.

"I'm good, I'll head up in a second." She promised as she tried finishing her row of books.

She heard the bell chime and then Tsu welcome the customer who didn't answer and just walked through the store. She kept working, knowing Tsu had things under control up there and at this point getting used to people just coming by to browse and not speak.

She was almost finished when she heard the footsteps come down her aisle and stop.

"Can I help you find something?" she asked quickly before looking up at the person.

"Nope, already found it." A familiar voice said.

She dropped the book she was holding and turned to see him standing there before her. It was him and no mistaking it. His spiky blonde hair, the crimson eyes, the leather jacket, and that mischievous grin that always made her melt.

"Bakugo?" she gasped, grasping the shelf to keep from collapsing, "You-you're out of the hospital."

He nodded, "Woke up about two months ago. Been a bitch recovering."

She felt her chin quivering slightly, "What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Came to pick up something." He said bluntly.

She was confused by that, "A book?" she asked, "You know there are bookstores where- "

"Not a book, stupid." He snorted, coming closer to her.

She wasn't sure what he was talking about when it dawned on her. She shook her head then, looking away, "Bakugo, I can't go back there."

"You want to tell me why the hell not?" he asked calmly.

"I mean, I'm living here now with my parents, I have a job. I explained what I could in that note- "

"This piece of crap?" he asked holding up a crumpled piece of paper that looked like it had been carried around and opened up multiple times, "You really think, that when I woke up, I was just going to forget about you and let you go?" he narrowed his eyes, "I thought I made myself pretty clear."

She looked down then and bit her lips, trying to hold her emotions in.

"Shit, cheeks, do I really need to fucking say it?" he growled.

She stared up at him and he finally pulled her close, "I love you, damnit." He whispered to her.

Her stomach dropped and every emotion she'd buried since she left was overwhelming her very suddenly as she shook her head in disbelief, "What?"

"The second I woke up, all I could think of was you, all I could talk about was you. I bought a new place, went to rehab, and the second I could, I knew I was bringing you home with me. I fucking love you, Uraraka."

"You love me." She breathed, finally letting the tears pour down her cheeks. He held her face in his hands and rubbed his thumb along her cheeks lovingly.

"Course I do." He replied, "And I know you do too."

"When did you figure it out-" she asked him with a small smile, "That I loved you back?"

"I'm a detective." He smirked, "So not that long."

She laughed at that and finally wrapped her arms around him, "Say it again?"

"I love you." He repeated.

"No…" she said shaking her head, "My name."

He grinned knowingly, "I love you Uraraka." He breathed, finally leaning down and pulling her in for a kiss.

When they finished, she could hardly breathe but it was like a weight lifted from her shoulders and every feeling of emptiness left her. Sure, she'd healed being back home, but this feeling of fullness and completion within her, it was the missing piece that she'd needed for such a long time and she knew then and there, she wasn't losing it again.

"You ready to come home?" he asked her.

As terrified as she was, as crazy as it sounded; she knew her answer without a shadow of a doubt.

"Yes."


End file.
